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Three months into Donald Trump's second presidency, journalists Ashley Parker and Michael Scherer covered a lot of ground with him during a late April interview for The Atlantic — from foreign policy to immigration.

The reporters also addressed embattled Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, whose critics are calling for him to resign over a series of controversies — which include firings at the Pentagon and a security breach in which Hegseth discussed a military operation in Yemen on the messaging app Signal.

Trump not only defended Hegseth during the interview — he also made it sound like Democrats, not members of his administration, are the ones surrounded by chaos.

Trump said of Hegseth, "I think he's gonna get it together. I had a talk with him, a positive talk, but I had a talk with him."

Trump said he told his staff, "Maybe don't use Signal, OK?"

According to Parker and Michael Scherer, Trump "spoke of his opposition with earnest befuddlement, if not actual pity."

Trump told the reporters, "I think that the Democrats have lost their confidence in the truest sense. I don't think they know what they're doing. I think they have no leader. You know, if you ask me now, I know a lot about the Democrat Party, right? I can't tell you who their leader is. I can't tell you that I see anybody on the horizon."

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In an MSNBC appearance, Massachusetts Governor Maura Healey slammed several of President Donald Trump’s policies because of the negative impact they are having on scientific research.

“First, let's talk about Harvard. You actually have this post that you put up, Donald Trump's cuts to universities and hospitals mean scientists are being laid off, and shutting down life-saving research. It's bad for patients, bad for science, and bad for our economy. Give me a sense of your reaction to what is happening at not just Harvard, but beyond,” Host Mika Brzezinski asked.

“Well, this is bigger than Harvard, and I stand with Harvard,” Governor Healey said. “I support what they are doing it is very, very important that Harvard filed that suit and stand up to the bully that Trump is.”

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The Governor claimed the consequences of removing funding from certain colleges, NIH, and other outlets is large. “[UMass Medical] had to lay off 200 faculty members. They've had to rescind offers to 80 graduate students. Mika these are scientists, okay? These are people who are discovering and working on life-saving cures for cancer, Alzheimer's, ALS, you name it, and all of that is being shut down.”

“Here's what also is happening, which Americans need to know. The ones benefiting from Donald Trump's misguided attacks on our universities and on research are benefiting China,” Healey said. “China is recruiting right now on our campuses all those scientists and faculty members, and students who've been laid off or had their offers rescinded and say, Come to China, we'll build you that lab. We'll give you staff. So, for a President who is about America first, he's making America last. He's making us weaker. He's making us less competitive, and it breaks my heart. It breaks my heart to know that patients will suffer [and] they're already suffering.”

She also believes, “[Trump] is driving everyone, including American students and faculty members, out of this country because they want to be able to do their research somewhere. So this is a very dangerous situation. Totally destabilizing and it's really pointing America in the wrong direction.”

The pair went on to speak about what the Bay State is doing to help small businesses dealing with tariff issues.

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