Morning Joe host Joe Scarborough mocked the Trump administration for meddling in private business and implementing the “state socialism” that it warned voters Democrats were about as he listed out the right private companies that the White House had “taken part ownership in.”

The jab came alongside news that the Trump administration is close to finalizing a rescue plan for Spirit Airlines that could allow the federal government to take a stake of up to 90% in the carrier following its exit from bankruptcy.

The proposed deal, according to Bloomberg, which has yet to be completed, would provide up to $500 million in financing in exchange for warrants enabling the government to acquire a significant majority share in the restructured airline. Negotiations are ongoing and the arrangement, if at all reached, could change.

This, however, did not stop Scarborough from opening Thursday’s show by branding the move “another example of the Trump administration wanting to socialize a stake in private companies in America.”

Pointing back to the Trump campaign team’s warnings about Democratic rivals in the 2024 presidential election, he said:

I love all these people that were running around like, you know, throughout 2024 saying… ‘those Democrats, they’re socialists. They will take over.’ Socialism is actually taking over private industry [now].

It’s what [former Prime Minister] Clement Attlee did in Great Britain before [former Prime Minister] Margaret Thatcher reversed it. Now we’re going the opposite direction with the Trump administration socializing parts of our industry. [Conservative pundit] Eric Erikson saying, ‘This is socialism.’ You said you were voting against, and yet here we are.

Co-host Willie Geist responded, arguing that President Donald Trump sees private companies as “partners” of the government.

“I think the generous term would be state capitalism. But socialism may fit a little better,” he agreed, adding: “And as you say, just falls into the long list of things that, well, Republicans, conservatives certainly Donald Trump himself said would never happen if you elected this president.”

Doubling down, Scarborough presented a list of eight companies that the Trump administration had taken a stake in. Running down the list, he said:

Here here are private companies that the Trump administration, this Republican administration, has taken part ownership in. The state. State socialism.

Intel, MP Materials, Trilogy Metals, Lithium Americas, Vulcan Elements, ReElement Technologies, Westinghouse, U.S. Steel.

This is the socialism we were warned about. ‘If you elect Democrats, they’re such socialists.’ Of course, a lot of idiots who say that don’t even understand what socialism means.

Watch above via MS NOW.

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