MAGA Pundit Trounced On CNN For Distorting Trump Threats: ‘You Cannot Sit Here And Lie’
CNN host Abby Phillip on Thursday mediated a heated discussion about President Donald Trump suggesting Democratic veterans in Congress should be hanged — for merely urging U.S. military service members in a video not to follow potentially illegal orders.
Trump decried this supposedly “SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR” coming from Sens. Elissa Slotkin (Mich.) and Mark Kelly (Ariz.), as well as Reps. Chris Deluzio (Pa.), Maggie Goodlander (N.H.), Chrissy Houlahan (Pa.) and Jason Crow (Colo.), and said it’s “punishable by death.”
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Most “NewsNight” panelists were in agreement Thursday that his social media spree was dangerous and egregious, and that the White House has falsely painted the Democrats’ video as a call to disobey “lawful orders,” but pro-Trump pundit Ben Ferguson passionately defended him.
“I go back to the video,” said the conservative commentator. “Like, we wouldn’t be having this conversation right now if it wasn’t for a ridiculous video that was put out by Democrats, telling people in uniform to defy the president of the United States of America.”
The video was rather clear about the kinds of orders military members should disobey, however, as the featured Democrats stated plainly that “you can refuse illegal orders” as “no one has to carry out orders that violate the law,” which Phillip had played for her panel.
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“Ben, we just laid out that the video says you should not follow illegal orders,” she said.
Phillip followed up by asking Ferguson directly if he believes otherwise, and that members of the military should obey illegal orders, which led him to call the controversy “a total, like, ball of crap” — and argue that the targeted lawmakers “wanted” this fight with Trump.
Slotkin has revealed that the number of threats against her has exploded since Thursday. Kelly wrote on social media that Trump is “stoking violence” and that the president’s actions are “dangerous.” Ferguson appeared insulted Thursday about the senator’s comments.
He even mocked Kelly, saying, “He’s sending out fundraising emails tonight while claiming, ‘Oh my gosh, I’m afraid of my life, please send me money for reelection.’” Neera Tanden, an ex-aide to former President Joe Biden, said Kelly only did so because Trump attacked him.
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“No, he attacked the president of the United States of America by telling people in the military to not obey the president of the United States of America if he does something you don’t like,” argued Ferguson in defense of the world’s most powerful man.
The host had enough, however, and went on to speak up over the resulting bickering.
“Hold on a second,” the anchor interrupted. “We just played for people at home exactly what the video says, Ben. You cannot sit here and lie about that same video. That doesn’t work. The video did not say that they should defy the orders of the president.”
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“It said that you cannot follow illegal orders,” she continued.
Phillip noted further that this is explicitly noted in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. That set of federal rules and regulations certainly confirm as much, as article 92 specifically states that military members will be punished if they fail “to obey any lawful” order.