CNN’s Chris Cuomo got heated in a Tuesday morning interview with Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump and slammed the billionaire for his proposed ban on Muslims entering the country.
Cuomo took Trump to task for the plans, telling him experts think the idea is “stupid” and at one point holding up a Philadelphia newspaper front page likening the Republican to Adolph Hitler.
Trump began by saying there is no recourse for the country other than an all-out stoppage on Muslim immigration until U.S. officials can sort out a longer term solution.
“We have no choice but to do exactly what I said until our country’s representatives can figure out what the hell is going on, because we have a problem in this country,” the former reality TV star said.
When Trump tried to cite the Paris attacks as justification for closing the borders to an entire religion, Cuomo challenged him. The anchor said that the French have considered no similar solution out of fear in the wake of the deadly attacks.
“It seems as though you’re acting out of fear, and not making us look strong, and rejecting what America is all about,” Cuomo told Trump, who fired back: “Don’t tell me about Paris.”
The billionaire real estate mogul added that he’s proposing a “temporary” solution “until we figure this out.”
“Listen, we had the World Trade Center no. 1, we had World Trade Center no. 2, we had many other things happen. Then the other day we had the California attack,” he said. Trump went on to say that other people knew what the two San Bernardino gunmen were plotting to do but didn’t report them to authorities because they did not want to be seen as “racial profilers.”
Trump also warned there would be “many more World Trade Centers,” referring to the Sept. 11 terror attacks, if the problem isn’t solved.
Cuomo later told Trump that national security experts think his idea is “stupid.”
“The idea of banning Muslims does nothing to help and everything to hurt,” he said. “They’re the experts, that’s what they say. They think this idea is stupid.”
Trump responded in his signature fashion, citing a string of polls showing his frontrunner status.
Watch the exchange below, via Mediaite:
Cheers to Chris Cuomo for confronting Trump. Many more in the medea need to develop some cojones and call this facist jackass running for president to task for his repressive and irresponsible comments and proposals.
Trump’s response to discussions on policy? I’m ahead in the polls or you’re stupid.
Damnit Cuomo and the rest of the media are going to chase him out before the nomination!
I want this guy as the GOP candidate, sure, Cruz could be fun to run against, but Trump is a slam dunk loser here, he’s a national Todd Akin, we need this guy. So back off people, let the man dig that hole!!
I’d like a member of the media to ask Trump what he’d do with Muslims that are already here.
Humane deportations?
A beautiful wall between us and Islam? Paid for by… who exactly?
Trump: Muslim ban is needed for many reasons including the possible impregnation of Bristol Palin by a fundamental Islamist. We dont want Palin brand tarnished in any way.