CNN anchor Jake Tapper pressed former Illinois governor Rod J. Blagojevich over the tension between his liberal record in office and his current support for President Donald Trump, during a live exchange on Thursday's episode of "The Lead with Jake Tapper."

Blagojevich, a Democrat with a history of backing liberal programs, was arrested in 2008 after prosecutors alleged that he schemed to sell the U.S. Senate seat being vacated by Barack Obama following his election to the presidency. He was impeached, unanimously removed from office and convicted, and was cast aside by his own party. Trump later commuted the former Democratic governor's 14-year criminal sentence for corruption after eight years.

Appearing on the network to promote his new book, Blagojevich offered praise for Trump and his policies. Tapper questioned how that stance squared with the political philosophy Blagojevich had championed as governor.

"So you pride yourself on looking out for working people in your time as governor," Tapper said. "... [O]ne of the achievements that you're proudest of is free public transportation for seniors and the disabled, and I'm wondering how that ethos matches with your support of President Trump. I understand your personal support of President Trump for getting you out of prison, but the political philosophy you had, how does that square with how Trump governs?"

"Well, I think it actually does," Blagojevich replied. "... I was probably left of center. But I think I was practical. And when I saw an opportunity to be able to help people, I felt that was my job as governor."

"I would say you were a social welfare Democrat," Tapper interjected. "I'm sorry for interrupting, but if I had to characterize it, that move with the public transportation, that was like in the tradition of LBJ or FDR. And I just don't see President Trump in that light."

Rather than engage that comparison directly, Blagojevich pointed to his record on social programs, noting that in 2005 Illinois became the first state in American history to provide every child in the state with affordable health care and to give 153,000 uninsured women access to mammograms and pap smears.

"That's my point. You're making my point," Tapper said, appearing perplexed.

"But I don't see President Trump that different," Blagojevich continued, citing Trump's elimination of taxes on tips and overtime — one of the selling points of the president's controversial Big Beautiful Bill, which added to the government's debt and concentrated tax cuts among upper-income brackets.

Tapper countered that Democrats claimed historic gains in the House and Senate, driven primarily by their economic and social safety net messaging, while Trump was "resoundingly rejected by the electorate."

Blagojevich responded that he had not predicted "there would be a blue wave."

"I thought the Democrats would win the House and the Republicans would win the Senate," Blagojevich said, "and I clearly got that wrong."

A clip of the interview is available on YouTube.