‘You Don’t Think That!’ Jim Acosta Stunned By Trump ‘Bloodbath’ Defense From GOP Analyst Alice Stewart

CNN anchor Jim Acosta got into it with GOP analyst Alice Stewart when she defended former President Donald Trump’s “bloodbath” remarks.

Trump gave a speech in Dayton, Ohio on Saturday night during which he made the remark that “if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath” — after discussing trade policy:

We’re going to put a 100 percent tariff on every single car that comes across the line, and you’re not going be able to sell those cars. If I get elected!

Now, if I don’t get elected, it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole — that’s going to be the least of it. It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.

Trump’s campaign objected to criticism by claiming his remarks about tariffs are the only context in which the remark should be interpreted, while some journalists and Trump critics have placed the remark in context with Trump’s history of encouraging and inciting violence.

On Monday’s edition of CNN Newsroom, Acosta played the comments for Stewart and CNN analyst Maria Cardona, and had a hard time containing his disbelief at Stewart’s defense of Trump:

JIM ACOSTA: The Trump analysis, the Trump campaign was very– this is what the Biden campaign said in response to all of this. They said he “wants another January 6th.”.

The Trump campaign, refuted that, said he was just talking about the auto industry and so on. They’re crying foul, over how this has been covered.

But if you look at, Alice, if you look at the way he said this, “it’s going to be a bloodbath for the whole–” Then he stops. “That’s going to be the least of it.” That’s going to be the least of it! “It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.”

ALICE STEWART: And if you look at it in context also, where it says talking about the auto industry and a 100% tariff on every car that’s brought into this country. He’s talking about the auto industry and the impact the Biden policies have on the auto industry. When he said.

JIM ACOSTA: You don’t think he just meant the auto industry–

ALICE STEWART: I truly, I believe.

JIM ACOSTA: You don’t think that!

ALICE STEWART: When he uses the term bloodbath, he is talking about this in an economic sense. And you look at the word–

JIM ACOSTA: But he says That’s going to be the least of it! It’s going to be a bloodbath for the country.

ALICE STEWART: We’re talking about. The other definition of bloodbath is a severe, loss and reversal. And this is used all the time when we’re talking about the stock market and the economy. And he’s talking look, I think this is a tremendous disservice to.

JIM ACOSTA: I love you, Alice, but, I mean–

ALICE STEWART: And I love you, too Jim–.

JIM ACOSTA: Let me tell you, I really think because, you know, was it out of context when he said very fine people on both sides was it out of context when he said, we got to fight like, like hell, you wouldn’t have a country anymore? Maria was it out of context when he said “Stand back and stand by?”

ALICE STEWART: Finish if I can finish what I’m saying. (Sure) I this is taken out of context. He’s talking about the auto industry. He’s talking about the electric vehicle mandates that the Biden administration, is is supporting and how that is going to devastate the auto industry. And he’s basically selling the message to people across middle America, the United Auto Workers, the actual workers, not the head, but the workers will.

JIM ACOSTA: What about when he called. Let’s let let’s play this. What about when he called migrants animals?

Watch above via CNN’s CNN Newsroom.