Don Lemon Stunned After Trump Called Himself a ‘Nationalist’: It’s ‘Loaded’ with Racial Undertones

CNN anchor Don Lemon expressed his shock from what he called a “surprisingly candid admission” from President Donald Trump.

At a rally in Houston, Trump called himself a “nationalist,” which he told the crowd we aren’t “supposed to use that word,” but did so anyway and encouraged others to “use that word.”

That left Lemon almost speechless.

“Wow,” Lemon reacted after a moment of laughter. “We’re gonna talk about that word tonight. It is a favorite of the alt-right and is loaded with nativist and racial undertones. And globalist. Well, globalist has been used as a slur of sorts, sometimes even against those in the administration, often with anti-semitic overtones. Which just happened to make the president come right out and embrace nationalism. Openly. And claim that mantle. What has happened here?”

Lemon then brought on a panel to discuss Trump’s declaration. New York Times columnist Frank Bruni questioned whether Trump’s use of the word was a “dog whistle,” but acknowledged that the president is a “sloppy speaker.”

“So when he says ‘nationalist,’ is he thinking of all those connotations you just mentioned or is he speaking sloppily?” Bruni told Lemon. “He’s saying things that aren’t true as well. He’s saying ‘globalist’ means you care more about the globe than the country. No, President Trump. Globalist means you understand that our fate is entwined with the fates of other countries and that in fact a rising tide lifts all boats. That’s what globalist means to someone who’s being serious about it…. He’s trying do the ‘America first’ thing and he’s trying to lend a new vocabulary to it. Now he’s brought in nationalist. And maybe it’s a dog whistle to races and such. Maybe he’s just speaking sloppily.”

Watch the clip above, via CNN.

Have a tip for us? tips@mediaite.com