‘You Cannot Sit Here and Lie!’ CNN Anchor Calls Out Trump Fan in Heated Fracas Over Execution Rant

CNN  anchor Abby Phillip called out consistent Trump defender Ben Ferguson in a heated discussion of President Donald Trump’s rant about executing Democrats, telling him, “You cannot sit here and lie!”

A group of Democrats — all military veterans — posted a video this week reminding servicemembers and intelligence officers, “You can refuse illegal orders.”

That clip prompted President Donald Trump to go on a social media spree calling for the execution of the Democrats who participated in the video, and the White House to defend it — and falsely accuse the Democrats of encouraging servicemembers to refuse “lawful orders.”.

On Thursday night’s edition of CNN NewsNight, Phillip convened a panel consisting of Leigh McGowan, Ferguson, Neera Tanden, Tim Parrish, Paul Rieckhoff, and Richard Quest.

BEN FERGUSON: I go back to the video, 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.

MCGOWAN: But that’s not what they said.

FERGUSON: That’s a fact.

(CROSSTALKS)

FERGUSON: I was quiet for a long time. That was like a long time for me. So, let me —

PHILLIP: It was, yes. So, let me — but, Ben, we just laid out that the video says you should not follow illegal orders. Do you think that members of the military should follow illegal orders?

FERGUSON: I think it’s pretty clear that this was an obvious video that was put out without any issue around it, saying, if you don’t like what the president’s doing —

PHILLIP: That’s literally not what it said.

FERGUSON: It literally — I’ll go back to what Mark said on this channel, by the way, after he sent out a fundraising email, which is the reason why this is a total like ball of crap to start with. This was a fight they wanted with the president. He’s sending out fundraising emails tonight while claiming, oh my gosh, I’m afraid of my life, please send me money for reelection. If you’re — it pitches such a terrible moment and political intrigue. You don’t send out fundraising emails saying, please send me money after I said to people in military uniform defy the orders of the president of United to America. That’s what he said in his email. Did you look at them email.

NEERA TANDEN: Yes, I did. You’re not —

FERGUSON: He asked for the money. He said, give me money tonight while I’m saying I’m afraid for my life? Come on.

TANDEN: Because the president attacked him. And also Donald Trump —

FERGUSON: No. He attacked the president United States to America by telling people in the military to not obey the president of the United States to America if he does something you don’t like. TANDEN: I know you want to make one plus one equals seven. He did not —

PHILLIP: The more you say it —

RIECKHOFF: Can I say something about the video?

PHILLIP: The more you say it does not make —

FERGUSON: Did he send out a fundraising email? Yes or no?

PHILLIP: Hold on a second. We just played for —

FERGUSON: I’m not.

TANDEN: We were.

FERGUSON: He sent out a fundraiser.

PHILLIP: Hold on a second. Hold on a second. We just played for people at home exactly what the video says.

FERGUSON: Yes, I’ve watched it.

PHILLIP: You cannot sit here and lie about that same video. That doesn’t work.

FERGUSON: So, you’re telling me —

PHILLIP: The video did not say that they should defy the orders of the president said, that you cannot follow illegal orders. That’s in the Military Court of justice.

(HEATED CROSSTALK)

Watch above via CNN NewsNight.