Trump Shouts Out CNN Defender Steve Cortes at Rally: He’s Hispanic But ‘Looks More Like a WASP Than I Do’

President Donald Trump gave a special shoutout to one of his most vehement defenders on CNN, who also happens to be a member of his 2020 advisory board.

Steve Cortes, a CNN contributor, attended the president’s rally in Rio Rancho, New Mexico on Monday night, where he was singled out by Trump.

“Another great friend of mine, someone who was on CNN and they didn’t like him because he was too positive on Trump, can you believe it?” Trump asked the rally crowd. “He happens to be Hispanic. He happens to be Hispanic.”

“But I have never quite figured it out, because he looks more like a WASP than I do,” Trump added. “I haven’t figured that one out. But I will tell you what, there is nobody that loves his country more or Hispanic more than Steve Cortes.”

“Nobody loves the Hispanics more. Who do you like more, the country or the Hispanics? He says the country. I don’t know, I may have to go for the Hispanics, to be honest with you,” Trump said. “We got a lot of Hispanics. We love our hispanics. Get out and vote.”

After a brief aside about his support from Venezuelans and Cubans, Trump returned to Cortes: “You were incredible on CNN and now you will get a real job, ok? Steve, that audience wasn’t big enough for you. Their ratings aren’t good.”

The Daily Beast reported last month that Trump noticed Cortes had disappeared from the air on CNN. His appearances ground to a halt this summer, noticeably after he faced criticism from CNN staffers for promoting revisionist history of Trump’s infamous Charlottesville comments.