MAGA CNN Guest Told ‘No’ After Demanding Trump Get ‘Credit’ for Congratulating New Pope
Conservative radio host Ben Ferguson insisted that President Donald Trump should be praised for the way he reacted to the ascension of the first American pope.
On Thursday, the Chicago-born Robert Prevost was elevated to the highest position in the Catholic Church and took the name Leo XIV. The new pope has criticized the Trump administration over its handling of immigration.
“Congratulations to Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost, who was just named Pope,” Trump wrote 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!”
Trump’s enthusiastic-but-nonetheless-boilerplate reaction to the momentous event impressed Ferguson, who on Thursday’s CNN NewsNight argued that the president should receive “credit” for the reaction.
“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,” Ferguson said, suggesting the 78-year old president has matured since winning a first term in 2016. “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 said Trump likely knew of Leo’s criticisms. Bakari Sellers responded that even if that were true, Trump did what he was “supposed to do” as president in that moment:
SELLERS: That bar is extremely low, and I think by setting the bar–
FERGUSON: But can you give a little credit?
SELLERS: No.
FERGUSON: 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: No, because, I mean, it’s this is not an issue of politics. This is an issue of things like love and empathy, and truth.
FERGUSON: Then why don’t show some of that towards the president when he gets it right on a nonpartisan issue of the pope?
SELLERS: 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.
Watch above via CNN.
