NBC News reporter Peter Alexander said Thursday that the Republican lawmakers who support President Donald Trump were reduced to being "bobbleheads" during his speech in the White House East Room.
"What you probably didn't see but we could see from our position here is just what I would best describe as bobbleheads—the Republican supporters, the allies and aides to the president, who were nodding approvingly throughout the entirety of his remarks," Alexander told MSNBC anchor Chris Jansing.
Alexander said he was "struck" by how GOP lawmakers need support from Trump back in their home states, and Trump is willing to "lavish praise" on his allies, such as Rep. Devin Nunes (R., Calif.). Alexander also passed judgment on the "jovial atmosphere" in the White House following Trump's acquittal in the Senate, and he described how he shouted questions at Trump about whether he had learned "lessons" from the behavior that led to his impeachment in the House.
"As he was exiting the room, in the back I yelled at him and said, 'are there any lessons learned, have you learned any lessons from this?'" Alexander said. "He ignored that question, but as the best evidence of his answer was what he said earlier on in his remarks: He said, 'I did nothing wrong,' again insisting that call—that again many Republicans say was inappropriate and wrong—he says still was perfect."
Alexander was referring to Republicans who expressed their disapproval of Trump's actions without voting to remove him from office, such as Sen. Susan Collins (Maine).