logo
CNN's MAGA Expert Reveals ‘Craziest' Thing Trump Supporters Have Told Him

CNN's MAGA Expert Reveals ‘Craziest' Thing Trump Supporters Have Told Him

Yahoo05-05-2025
Donie O'Sullivan has heard all sorts of conspiracy theories as a senior correspondent for CNN, but only one takes the cake.
In an episode of his Persuadable podcast, the misinformation reporter said the 'craziest thing' anyone has ever said to him had to do with former President Joe Biden.
'That when Biden was in the White House, that he wasn't really there. That, in fact, he was actually dead,' O'Sullivan said with a chuckle.
'Now that I'm hearing this back—kernel of truth in there,' he added jokingly.
The conspiracy theory, O'Sullivan said, was that the White House was actually empty and everything from the Oval Office to the media briefing room was just a green screen.
'That one was definitely out there,' he said.
Despite having to deal with people who push wild theories, O'Sullivan said he finds it 'really annoying' when he gets asked: 'Why are you humanizing this person?'
Part of covering misinformation, he said, is accepting that his interviewees don't believe facts like the 2020 election was fair and the COVID-19 vaccine doesn't contain a microchip that tracks people.
'If I get hung up on that, like if I say, 'Well no, you're wrong, and here's why. And I'm going to convince you now. I'm going to change your mind.' Then that's the end of the conversation.'
Last month, O'Sullivan spoke with three MAGA journalists who were granted access to the White House's media briefing room as part of the administration's push to promote 'new media.'
O'Sullivan spoke with Brian Glenn of Real America's Voice, Cara Castronuova of LindellTV, and Natalie Winters of Bannon's War Room for a CNN segment.
'Do you consider yourself a journalist?' he asked the three bluntly.
Winters said yes: 'I'm pretty sure the group of people in there spent, what was it, four years, covering for someone who was essentially dead—and that's being charitable in my description of him—a president by the name of Joe Biden. So to all those people who are apoplectic over having new media voices, you guys failed, and that's why we're here.'
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

New Paramount CEO lauds South Park creators for being ‘equal opportunity offenders'
New Paramount CEO lauds South Park creators for being ‘equal opportunity offenders'

The Hill

time36 minutes ago

  • The Hill

New Paramount CEO lauds South Park creators for being ‘equal opportunity offenders'

Paramount's new CEO David Ellison lauded animated show 'South Park' creators, Matt Stone and Trey Parker, for being 'equal opportunity offenders' as the sitcom has made headlines mocking President Trump recently. 'Matt and Trey are incredibly talented,' Ellison said in an interview with CNN that was published on Friday. 'They are equal opportunity offenders and always have been.' Paramount and Skydance formalized their $8 billion merger on Thursday after months of debate, bringing 'South Park' and other entities such as CBS and MTV under Ellison's ownership. Previous Paramount owners agreed in early July to pay $16 million to the president's future presidential library after Trump sued over a '60 Minutes' interview with former Vice President Harris. 'South Park' has not shied away from mocking the current administration and its policies, leveling jabs against Trump, Vice President Vance and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Kristi Noem. During the latest episode, titled 'Got a Nut,' the show made fun of Noem's looks and mocked the immigration raids conducted by Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE). In response, Noem said the show's depiction of her was 'lazy,' arguing it was a pattern of making fun of women for 'how they look.' The White House has also previously fired back at 'South Park,' claiming the show has been irrelevant for over two decades. Ellison on Thursday said that he was not involved with CBS' settlement. 'I do not want to politicize our company in any way, shape or form,' Ellison told CNN when asked if he agreed separately to broadcast causes that are aligned with the current administration.

Jimmy Kimmel's Greg Gutfeld Interview Sparks Criticism
Jimmy Kimmel's Greg Gutfeld Interview Sparks Criticism

Buzz Feed

time2 hours ago

  • Buzz Feed

Jimmy Kimmel's Greg Gutfeld Interview Sparks Criticism

Jimmy Fallon is facing criticism after hosting Fox News's Greg Gutfeld on The Tonight Show. If you're unfamiliar, Greg hosts the news and political satire show Gutfeld! on Fox. He's known for his edgy comedy style, conservative views, and a number of controversial comments — from suggesting that conservatives should reclaim the word "Nazi" like "the Blacks" reclaimed the n-word to saying crime would "disappear" in the absence of women and his "oversimplifications" in discussing the Holocaust. He appeared on The Tonight Show on Thursday night, and while the conversation largely steered away from politics, viewers were still very annoyed at Jimmy for platforming Greg. Taking to Reddit, one person asked, "why he's being platformed? Has anyone seen this guy's schlocky nonsense? No one ever needed to talk about him? We still don't." Another felt that "Fallon has always been a 'yes to everyone' man. The guy's got almost zero convictions." "I fucking loathe Fallon," someone confessed, "and this is a prime example as to why." Another shared similar sentiments as they admitted, "I've never liked Fallon. At all. I like him less now." Someone declared, "There is no defense of this. This dude is part of the tinderbox that is MAGA. Fallon having him on means I now hate Jimmy Fallon. I've given him every benefit of the doubt throughout the last 2 decades, but this seals it for me." Other viewers were disappointed but not surprised by the interview, remembering how Jimmy famously hosted Donald Trump on The Tonight Show in 2016. "Fallon has normalized the right's worst before," one person wrote alongside a GIF of the infamous moment when Jimmy ruffled Trump's hair. "this is nothing new." Another questioned Jimmy's sincerity when he expressed regret for the aforementioned moment with Trump. "Remember when Fallon went on a brief redemption tour and talked about how gutted he was about normalizing Trump with that hair ruffle and how he'd been brooding about it for years? Guess he's changed his mind," they said. Some suspected he was "trying real hard to stay off the chopping block" following the July cancellation of The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. "Jimmy's afraid of getting cancelled too," one person speculated. "More kissing the ring. However, some people didn't completely fault Jimmy. One Reddit user pointed out, "He's not the talent booker so I guess a whole bunch of people their are fascists. So gross." Let me know what you think of all of this below. Do you love all things TV and movies? Subscribe to the Screen Time newsletter to get your weekly dose of what to watch next and what everyone is flailing over from someone who watches everything!

In one of the country's poorest states, crippling budget cuts loom
In one of the country's poorest states, crippling budget cuts loom

Boston Globe

time4 hours ago

  • Boston Globe

In one of the country's poorest states, crippling budget cuts loom

Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up 'You couldn't design a budget-reconciliation package that would be worse for the state of New Mexico,' Sen. Martin Heinrich said at a health care forum. Advertisement But after years of robust federal spending in the state, some Republican legislators, who are in the minority in both chambers, are predicting that the new domestic policy bill will help root out waste and provide some tax relief. 'Just take a deep breath,' said state Rep. Mark Duncan, a Republican who sits on a new legislative subcommittee on federal funding. 'This is not going to happen tomorrow, for the most part.' The state estimates that it will lose $2.8 billion annually in Medicaid funding, and as much as $352 million from the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, which helps low-income families buy groceries. Six to eight rural hospitals could close within the next 24 months. Advertisement And out of roughly 22,000 jobs in state government, more than 2,000 are wholly funded by the federal government, while an additional 3,800 are partially funded, Wayne Propst, secretary of the Department of Finance and Administration, told the funding subcommittee. To be sure, state budgets around the country have been generally strong of late thanks to billions in COVID-19 relief money and a record-breaking stock market. New Mexico has also been buoyed by robust oil and gas revenues. But few sectors of the state will be untouched. The Santa Fe Farmers' Market. MERIDITH KOHUT/NYT Manny Encinias, a cattle rancher and longtime vendor at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market, said some of his customers paid with SNAP food tokens. 'Suddenly, the rug has been pulled out from beneath us,' he said. For now, here's how some New Mexicans are sizing up the new normal: Medicaid and SNAP The New Mexico Health Care Authority, which administers Medicaid and SNAP, estimates that 88,000 residents could lose Medicaid, and 58,000 could lose SNAP. Many officials are worried about bureaucratic snarls and widespread confusion. Paulina Verduzco, 20, a restaurant host in Santa Fe, is already experiencing whiplash. After being uninsured for two years, Verduzco was recently approved for Medicaid. But a few weeks ago, she received a $300 bill for a one-hour intake call, done over Zoom. Panicked, she talked to a case worker and was told it was a mistake. She was also approved for SNAP, and on a recent Saturday at the Santa Fe Farmers' Market, she used her food tokens for the first time. She and her aunt purchased plants for cherry tomatoes, poblano peppers and lemon cucumbers to grow in their own tiny garden. Advertisement But two weeks later, Verduzco received a text informing her that she would no longer be receiving SNAP because she wasn't working enough hours -- even though she has been asking her employer for more hours. She is not sure if the cutoff was a result of the new federal policy, but work requirements are about to become even more stringent. 'You aren't making enough money to receive government money -- make that make sense,' Verduzco said. Gutting SNAP could squeeze the state's Double Up Food Bucks initiative, which enables recipients to buy fresh local produce at half the price, and bolsters ranchers and farmers, said Encinias, who owns Trilogy Beef and Buffalo Creek Ranch in Moriarty, and is also executive director of the Santa Fe Farmers' Market Institute. 'We're going to be impacted significantly,' he said. Nonprofit groups, which have often provided aid that supplemented government programs, are also under pressure. A recent survey of 200 nonprofits commissioned by three New Mexico foundations reported that 20% received at least half of their funding from federal grants -- grants that are now in jeopardy. The Food Depot, which serves northern New Mexico, has already announced that its Regional Farm to Food Bank program is ending. 'Make absolutely no mistake,' Jill Dixon, the group's executive director, said at a recent community meeting. 'The charitable food system cannot compensate for the loss that we are facing.' US Senator Martin Heinrich, Democrat of New Mexico. Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Public Lands In a state nicknamed the Land of Enchantment for its striking landscapes and cultural history, outdoor recreation provided 29,000 jobs and generated $3.2 billion in economic impact in 2023. Advertisement To operate on lands controlled by the Bureau of Land Management or the Forest Service, it is necessary to have permits, adequate access points and working restrooms and campgrounds, said Nick Streit, whose father opened the Taos Fly Shop in 1980. But among the federal workers who lost their jobs in the first rounds of layoffs were several who worked on recreation and permitting. Those workers, Streit said, usually bought their waders and other outdoor equipment at local businesses and supported the local guide industry by maintaining standards. 'Those permits are important, because when members of the public come and they hire somebody, they know they're safe, they have insurance, they have training,' said Streit, who is also the executive director of Friends of the Rio Grande del Norte National Monument. Will Blackstock, who owns Far Flung Adventures, which offers white-water rafting trips on the Rio Grande, said that at the beginning of this summer, 'things were looking very bleak' as a result of the federal budget and staffing cuts, with a significant reduction in the number of river rangers who patrol the nearby Rio Chama, a major tributary of the Rio Grande. One more ranger has been added back since then. 'It's far less than the river program needs, but it is better than we thought it was going to be,' Blackstock said. Conservation group leaders said they were relieved that a plan by Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, to sell millions of acres of public lands was abandoned after intense pushback, including from many of Trump's supporters. Advertisement But Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins did rescind a long-standing rule prohibiting road construction and timber harvesting in remote areas of federal forests, which conservationists fear will threaten vulnerable species and compromise wilderness values on public lands. The announcement was made in Santa Fe. 'We are so on edge right now, I can't even tell you,' said Garrett VeneKlasen, the northern conservation director of the New Mexico Wilderness Alliance. Natural Disasters In New Mexico, concerns often turn to the basics: fire and water. Summers are drier now and extreme heat more frequent, heightening wildfire concerns. Jane Lumsden, whose family has long owned a natural foods store in Las Vegas, New Mexico, lost her custom-built home in the devastating Calf Canyon-Hermit's Peak blaze in 2022. But she is grateful to the experts who predicted the fire's path and to the emergency responders who kept residents regularly apprised of fire dangers. Otherwise, she said, 'People most certainly would have died.' Now, as her family incorporates timber salvaged from their burned home to rebuild across the street, she is worried that the federal cuts could affect reforestation efforts and could make it more difficult to fill thousands of vacant firefighter jobs. The Federal Emergency Management Agency has also lost a quarter of its full-time staff since Trump took office. 'Climate and natural disasters are accelerating and without these kinds of warning systems and support, we will be at risk,' she said. 'Look what happened in Texas.' About 60 miles to the northwest in Chimayo, Champe Green, an elected member of the Santa Fe-Pojoaque Soil and Water Conservation District, worries often about the earthen Cañada De Ancha Dam, one of the state's most dangerous. Advertisement Champe Green near the earthen Canada De Ancha Dam in Chimayo, N.M. MERIDITH KOHUT/NYT Built 60 years ago, the dam has retention ponds that are now so choked with sediment that any significant rainfall could cause overflowing or breaching. An estimated 1,000 people, many of them poor and working-class, live within the potential flood area, according to the federal Department of Agriculture. The state has pledged $8 million to remove the sediment. That funding is contingent, however, on a federal match of roughly $11 million. Congress is considering the appropriation of up to $7 million in watershed rehabilitation funding for the next fiscal year -- for the entire country. 'There's not enough to pay for our one little project, much less all the projects around the country,' said Green, a retired biologist and ecologist with the U.S. Forest Service and the Army Corps of Engineers. And now it is monsoon season. 'If we got 2 inches in an hour, that would be scary,' he said. 'If we had 4 inches in 24 hours, I'd be scared to death.' Arts, Culture and Native Americans Robert K. Meya, general director of the Santa Fe Opera, has his own concerns related to wildfire threats. The opera's annual insurance rates doubled from 2024 to 2025. With its open-air productions each summer, performed against a breathtaking desert backdrop, the opera has installed air-quality sensors to gauge whether it is safe to perform. 'If you cut off the funding for the Forest Service and you're not maintaining these forests correctly,' Meya said, 'then the possibility for a fire will only increase significantly.' Apprentices rehearsed at the Santa Fe Opera. MERIDITH KOHUT/NYT In recent months, a $55,000 federal grant for this summer's premiere of Richard Wagner's 'Die Walküre' has been rescinded (though it is being appealed). And $100,000 spent on installing solar panels, which previously would have been eligible for tax credits under the Inflation Reduction Act, may never be recouped. Similar concerns weigh on organizations catering to the arts, education and Native Americans. Rose Eason, a board member of Creative New Mexico, an arts advocacy nonprofit, said at least $1.5 million in federal grants earmarked for two dozen organizations statewide had been terminated. Southwestern Indian Polytechnic Institute -- one of only two federally run colleges for Native Americans -- is facing a proposed 83% cut in federal funding. And the impending cuts to public broadcasting could shrink funding by 20% for KSUT, one of the country's first tribal radio stations. It provides Indigenous news, music and emergency alerts to rural northwestern New Mexico. 'It's one giant ecosystem,' Meya said. 'No one is immune.' This article originally appeared in

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store