Chris Cuomo Reveals Reason For Attacking Trump While At CNN

Chris Cuomo, host of NewsNation, defended his past criticism of former President Donald Trump during his tenure at CNN, where he served as an anchor until 2021.

While at CNN, Cuomo was vocal in his disapproval of Trump, accusing him of “openly defending the hateful white supremacist types” and “trying to start a mass movement based on fear and loathing of a minority group.” On his podcast, Cuomo addressed a conservative listener who complimented his growth since leaving CNN, explaining that he felt compelled to strongly oppose Trump due to the “destructive” behavior he observed.

“I appreciate the appreciation. I do think that … I suffer from people’s feelings about CNN while I was there, and you kind of look at it through the lens of rejection. I don’t believe that I’m any different, but I do have different inclinations — ’15, ’16, ’17, ’18 — there was a need for a muscular response to Trump,” Cuomo said. “I know conservatives took it personally, but you got to know Trump is not a conservative, right? And he lied so much; he was so destructive about institutions and the media and the level of decency in our dialogue that it required pushback and, frankly, an attack, in my opinion.”

Cuomo further noted the current political divide and emphasized the need for a pragmatic approach to rebuild unity, focusing on reasoned discussion rather than constant argument. “It’s about pragmatism. It’s about being reasonable. It’s about conversation, not constant debate about gotchas and who’s wrong and who’s right. What’s right, not just who’s wrong, but what is right, and how do we make it happen? That’s where I want to get us to,” he stated.

Cuomo also shared that he extended his sympathies to Trump following a recent assassination attempt. Federal prosecutors charged Ryan Wesley Routh for allegedly attempting to assassinate Trump after authorities saw a rifle barrel protruding from shrubbery while Trump was golfing in Florida.

“I reached out to Trump. I wanted to just say, ‘Listen, I’m really sorry that this is going on and it’s being dealt with this way.’ Not because I’m in favor of his politics or what he says — I criticize him all the time. That’s my job, and he deserves it. But he doesn’t deserve this,” Cuomo said. “A guy pointing an AK-47 at him while he’s playing golf, and we take solace in the fact that the guy didn’t get any rounds off. That does not work for me.”