Donald Trump's increased attacks on reporters over questions about Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and accusations about war crimes his appointee has been accused of is a sign that the president is grasping for a defense for attacks of so-called narco terrorists.

That was the consensus of a panel on MS NOW’s “Morning Joe” on Tuesday after a clip of the president once again being abusive to a female reporter was played.

On Monday, when pressed about releasing video of a second strike on survivors dating back to early September, the president denied he had ever said he'd be happy to make it available — which he was recorded saying last Wednesday.

Instead, he told ABC's Rachel Scott she was “fake news,” and then added, “You are the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place. Let me just tell you, you are an obnoxious, a terrible reporter. And it's always the same thing with you. I told you. Whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is okay with me.”

After sharing the clip on Tuesday morning, as co-host Mike Brzezinski groaned, Willie Geist pointed out, “So obviously, I mean, there is the tape. A week ago, he said one thing, now yesterday he is saying it is fake news.”

“Again, it just gets at what we pointed out at the top of the show, he's floundering on this. The Pentagon is floundering on this question. There is talk of Republicans withholding funds from Pete Hegseth.”

Co-host Jonathan Lemire chimed in with, “Yeah, flailing is the right way to put it.“

He later added, “But in terms of inside the West Wing, they recognize this story — they can’t get their arms around it. It seems to be spiraling by the day and, for Secretary Hegseth, he’s received votes of confidence from the president — he gave him another one yesterday — but there are plenty people in that building who say, hey look, he has already lost the Pentagon.”

“Though he [Hegseth] is not in imminent danger, there are people around him that are saying the president is tiring of the distraction.”

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