CNBC’s Joe Kernen Scolds Co-Host Andrew Ross Sorkin Over Comey Question in Tense, On-Air Moment

House Speaker Mike Johnson’s (R-LA) interview on CNBC came to an uncomfortable end on Tuesday, with Joe Kernen jumping in to groan about the final question his fellow co-host Andrew Ross Sorkin had asked.

Sorkin, during the final hour of Squawk Box, said he was asking his last question on behalf of a Republican viewer, who wanted to know Johnson’s “perspective” on the indictment of ex-FBI Director James Comey, considering the speaker has been “actively speaking out against lawfare” for years.

Johnson said there needed to be “accountability” for Comey pushing bogus claims President Donald Trump colluded with Russia to win the 2016 election, as well as for allegedly lying to Congress.

“The Department of Justice, really, frankly, was corrupted under the Biden Administration. And it began even before that,” Johnson said. “The dirty Russia dossier, all the things from the 2016 election that were concocted, James Comey was involved in all of that, okay? And he came to Congress and he raised his hand and took an oath and lied to Congress. I mean, he lied. He lied about what he knew [and] when he knew it. That’s a serious problem.”

That is where things went a bit sideways.

Kernen, in a parting comment that stopped and started several times, said he was not a fan of that last question.

“They’re wrapping us up, I mean, this is about — this is, I mean, go for it — but it’s, this is like — you going to ask about saying prayers on the floor of the House or something? I mean this is sort of off topic, isn’t it? I mean, I know it hits to Trump, but…”

Kernen had both arms raised in disbelief and was shaking his head as he looked at his co-host.

Sorkin then chimed in, suggesting it was a fair question because viewers want to know if Trump will go after some of his other political rivals.

“Well no, I think there’s viewers who are watching us and were asking about George Soros, and Reid Hoffman, and some of these other people that we talk about on the air.”

“Oh! It was a viewer, it wasn’t you, it was a viewer. Okay, alright,” Kernen said, speaking over Sorkin.

Johnson, meanwhile, smiled as the two co-hosts bickered.

Kernen then said CNBC producers were telling him to end the segment, so he thanked Johnson and they moved on.

Watch above via CNBC.