Anderson Cooper swore on-air at a Republican lawmaker who claimed Donald Trump made outlandish statements because he was a New Yorker.
The CNN hosts interview with ex-California lieutenant governor Abel Maldonado quickly went off the rails on Wednesday.
Military chiefs under the Trump administration have harshly criticized the former president for his conduct while in the top job, and whether he was fit to serve a second term.
They include his chief of staff General John Kelly, who claimed he made insulting remarks about soldiers, and then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, who called him fascist to the core.
Anderson Cooper swore on-air at a Republican former lawmaker who claimed Donald Trump made outlandish statements because he was a New Yorker
Maldonado claimed military figures like them thought Trump was a good president when they worked with him, and only criticized him afterwards.
A lot of these people, Anderson, when theyre working for him, hes a good guy, he claimed, despite none of them ever saying so.
Theyre only coming after president Trump after they leave, or theyve been fired, one of the two.
This ignited a fierce argument with Cooper and his other guest, Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein, who asked Maldonado is Trump was a fascist.
Maldonado denied this, so Bernstein rephrased his question to ask, Does he say fascistic things?
Hes a New Yorker. Hes a fighter, hes a leader, Maldonado replied, setting off Cooper.
Youre from California. The kids in the Central Park Five, they were actually New Yorkers, Cooper said.
So, the idea that Donald Trump is a New Yorker and this is what New Yorkers say, is just bulls**t.
The CNN hosts interview with ex-California Lieutenant Governor Abel Maldonado (second from left) and Watergate reporter Carl Bernstein (left) quickly went off the rails, while his third guest managed to stay above the fray
Maldonado claimed military figures like them thought Trump was a good president when they worked with him, and only criticized him afterwards
The Central Park Five were five black teenagers wrongly convicted of raping a white woman in 1989, who were eventually exonerated by DNA in 2022.
Im from California and we look at New York as you know, theyre fighters. Theyre strong. They tell it like it is. Theyll say it out loud, Maldonado insisted.
Cooper replied: But thats a comic book. I mean, again, theres eight million people in the city.
Maldonado also claimed during the argument that Trump hadnt changed, so it was the military leaders who changed their tune.
They went to work to help America, to help president Trump, and all of a sudden they have a disagreement. They move on. And then hes a "fascist", he claimed.
Cooper argued that they likely went to work for Trump (or in Milleys case were simply promoted to the position) so they could temper Trumps worst impulses.
So, you believe that highly decorated General Milley, General Kelly, who was the chief of staff, whose son died serving this country, you believe that they are making stuff up, he said.
Then-chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Mark Milley, called Trump fascist to the core
Trumps chief of staff General John Kelly (center) claimed the former president made insulting remarks about soldiers
Maldonado denied that was his point, or that he was accusing them of lying.
Donald Trump in 2016 when he ran, you know, who he was, you know who he is. Thats who he is. Trump is not gonna change ever, he said.
Milley teed off on Trump in Bob Woodwards book War, warning he planned to use the military against his political opponents.
He is the most dangerous person ever. I had suspicions when I talked to you about his mental decline and so forth, but now I realize hes a total fascist. He is now the most dangerous person to this country, he said.
Milley recalled in the book of how Trump wanted to court martial generals who spoke out against him.
Kelly claimed Trump called decorated military veterans suckers and losers and refused to be seen with military amputees because it doesn’t look good for me.
He also described Trump as someone who admires autocrats and murderous dictators.