Anderson Cooper Spars with Republican Over ‘Sleazy’ Trump Hurricane Lies: ‘He’s Basically Just Making Stuff Up for Political Reasons’

CNN anchor Anderson Cooper and network contributor Scott Jennings got into a tense exchange Friday night while discussing former President Donald Trump’s trips to Georgia and North Carolina in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.

Trump met with Republican Georgia Governor Brian Kemp before traveling to Fayetteville. Both states were affected by the powerful storm, which killed hundreds and caused immeasurable property damage.

The former president praised Kemp – whom he has attacked in the past – and slammed the Biden administration’s response to the storm. Trump has also repeated false claims that FEMA does not have funds to help struggling Americans because funds had been allocated to migrants in the country illegally.

On AC360, former Harris communications director Ashley Etienne ripped Trump for what she categorized as the politicization of Helene’s aftermath.

“I think what Donald Trump has a penchant for is really exploiting people’s pains, loss of lives, disasters like these for his own political purposes,” Etienne said. “He shows up into places like this and exploits people’s pains.”

Cooper asked Jennings if Trump’s presence in the storm-ravaged areas was “appropriate” before the pair engaged in a tense exchange and asked about the purpose of Trump’s visit.

“He’s basically just making stuff up for political reasons,” Cooper said.

Jennings argued Trump did not cause the storm and slammed President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris for their response to it.

“He’s down there with Brian Kemp today, and he was praising Brian Kemp’s actions on the recovery in Georgia, and Kemp thanked him for bringing national attention to it,” Jennings said.

Cooper replied, “But he lied about Brian Kemp earlier.”

Jennings responded, “I mean, look, if you guys want to say that Donald Trump is messing up the hurricane while we have a current administration, Biden/Harris, that are in office, go ahead. It’s Donald Trump. He has things to say about the things that happen in this world, and it’s October of a presidential election. So, you know, what do you want him to do, Not comment on it?”

Cooper fired back, “Just not be sleazy, I guess.”

Watch above via CNN.