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CNN Panel Clashes Over Congratulating Trump for Not Attacking the Pope Yet

CNN Panel Clashes Over Congratulating Trump for Not Attacking the Pope Yet

Yahoo09-05-2025

Conservative radio host Ben Ferguson was slapped down on CNN after suggesting Donald Trump should be praised for his response to the ascension of the first American Pope.
Chicago-born Robert Prevost was anointed as the new Pope on Thursday, and immediately turned heads over his prior criticism of the Trump administration's approach to immigration and remarks made by JD Vance.
Nevertheless, Trump acknowledged the ascension with a fairly standard response, writing 'Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,' on Truth Social.
'It is such an honor to realize that he is the first American Pope. What excitement, and what a Great Honor for our Country. I look forward to meeting Pope Leo XIV. It will be a very meaningful moment!'
But during a panel discussion on Thursday's edition of CNN Newsnight, Ferguson claimed the president deserved 'credit' for obeying the basic rules of diplomacy.
'I think this is exactly why I think there's some people tonight that should give some credit to President Donald Trump for the way he responded, because I think that's probably maybe a little different than what he would have said in 2016,' said Ferguson.
'You look at what he said, saying, this is a great day. He actually took politics out of it as the president of the United States of America, which most people are wanting him to get involved politically.'
Ferguson suggested that Donald Trump's approach to diplomacy had matured since his first term in 2016—despite the president earning the ire of Catholics worldwide just last week after posting an AI-generated image of himself as the pope and joking that he would like to be named the next pontiff.
Fellow panelist Bakari Sellers, however, refused to praise the president for his boilerplate response, and said Trump does not deserve credit for something he was 'supposed to do' anyway. What followed was a frosty exchange.
'That bar is extremely low,' said Sellers, 'and I think by setting the bar…'
'But can you give a little credit?' interjected Ferguson, to which he was told 'No.'
Ferguson added: 'So, in other words, even when Donald Trump does something right on the pope, you're now saying, 'I'm still going to criticize him?''
Sellers said the issue was not one of politics, but one of things like 'love, empathy, and truth.' When Ferguson then asked him why he refuses to show some love to the president when he gets things right on a nonpartisan issue, he responded:
'Because I'm not going to simply give you credit for coming out and doing something that you're supposed to do. One of the most amazing things about this spiritual or religious journey that we're on is, it's not the way we profess it. It's not the way we wear it on our sleeve. It's not whether or not you can quote James or Ecclesiastes. It's not those things. It's how you walk and whether or not people can see God in the way that you walk.'
Ferguson interjected again before Sellers could finish his point, and the conversation was eventually derailed by crosstalk before host Abby Phillip moved things along.
Vice President JD Vance tweeted 'Congratulations to Leo XIV, the first American Pope, on his election! I'm sure millions of American Catholics and other Christians will pray for his successful work leading the Church. May God bless him!' in response to the pope's ascension. He has not yet responded to the pontiff's personal criticisms of his policies.

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ICE raids accelerate, protests spread
ICE raids accelerate, protests spread

The Hill

time11 minutes ago

  • The Hill

ICE raids accelerate, protests spread

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Musk regrets some of his Trump criticisms, says they 'went too far'
Musk regrets some of his Trump criticisms, says they 'went too far'

Yahoo

time12 minutes ago

  • Yahoo

Musk regrets some of his Trump criticisms, says they 'went too far'

Musk regrets some of his Trump criticisms, says they 'went too far' Elon Musk, the world's richest person and Donald Trump's former advisor, says he regretted some of his recent criticisms of the US president (Kevin Dietsch) (Kevin Dietsch/GETTY IMAGESvia AFP) Elon Musk, the world's richest person and Donald Trump's former advisor, said Wednesday he regretted some of his recent criticisms of the US president, after the pair's public falling-out last week. "I regret some of my posts about President @realDonaldTrump last week. They went too far," Musk wrote on his social media platform X, in a message that was received favorably by the White House. Musk's expression of regret came just days after Trump threatened the tech billionaire with "serious consequences" if he sought to punish Republicans who vote for a controversial spending bill. Their blistering break-up -- largely carried out on social media before a riveted public since Thursday last week -- was ignited by Musk's harsh criticism of Trump's so-called "big, beautiful" spending bill, which is currently before Congress. ADVERTISEMENT Some lawmakers who were against the bill had called on Musk -- one of the Republican Party's biggest financial backers in last year's presidential election -- to fund primary challenges against Republicans who voted for the legislation. "He'll have to pay very serious consequences if he does that," Trump, who also branded Musk "disrespectful," told NBC News on Saturday, without specifying what those consequences would be. Trump also said he had "no" desire to repair his relationship with the South African-born Tesla and SpaceX chief, and that he has "no intention of speaking to him." But after Musk's expression of regret, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told reporters that Trump was "appreciative," adding that "no efforts" had been made on a threat by Trump to end some of Musk's government contracts. "The president acknowledged the statement that Elon put out this morning, and he is appreciative of it," Leavitt said. ADVERTISEMENT According to the New York Times, Musk's message followed a phone call to Trump late on Monday night. Vice President JD Vance and Chief of Staff Susan Wiles had also been working with Musk on how to broker a truce with Trump, the report said. - 'Wish him well' - In his post on Wednesday, Musk did not specify which of his criticisms of Trump had gone "too far." The former allies had seemed to have cut ties amicably about two weeks ago, with Trump giving Musk a glowing send-off as he left his cost-cutting role at the so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE). But their relationship cracked within days, with Musk describing the spending bill as an "abomination" that, if passed by Congress, could define Trump's second term in office. Trump hit back at Musk's comments in an Oval Office diatribe and from there the row detonated, leaving Washington stunned. ADVERTISEMENT Trump later said on his Truth Social platform that cutting billions of dollars in subsidies and contracts to Musk's companies would be the "easiest way" to save the US government money. US media have put the value of the contracts at $18 billion. With real political and economic risks to their falling out, both already appeared to inch back from the brink on Friday, with Trump telling reporters "I just wish him well," and Musk responding on X: "Likewise." Trump had spoken to NBC on Saturday after Musk deleted one of the explosive allegations he had made during their fallout, linking the president with disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein, who was accused of sex trafficking. bur-arp/aha

Kim Kardashian says immigrants in LA suffering 'fear and injustice' thanks to Trump immigration plan
Kim Kardashian says immigrants in LA suffering 'fear and injustice' thanks to Trump immigration plan

Fox News

time13 minutes ago

  • Fox News

Kim Kardashian says immigrants in LA suffering 'fear and injustice' thanks to Trump immigration plan

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