A CNN host erupted at a Trump spokeswoman during an on-air spat over the ex-president’s comments about emergency hurricane and migrant funding.
Host Kate Bolduan and Trump National Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt sparred on live TV as they disputed Donald Trump’s claims about the budget for the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene.
The cable news host pressed Leavitt on Trump’s now-debunked statements accusing FEMA of running out of money for Hurricane Helene victims because it spent that money on migrants.
Bolduan was seemingly trying to get Leavitt to admit that Trump incorrectly claimed FEMA used all of its money on illegal migrants.
The FEMA funding set aside for non-citizens was actually never allocated by Congress for hurricane relief.
‘Things that the former president has said is FEMA funds were stolen to be used to house illegal migrants, that no one from FEMA was on the ground in North Carolina, that funds were being withheld from Republican areas of the state on purpose,’ Bolduan detailed to Leavitt.
‘None of that is true,’ the host continued. ‘The head of FEMA says that worse than it not being true, it is dangerous that if this is pushed and circulated for the people who are most in need of help.’
‘With that knowledge, is the former president going to stop saying this?’
Then Trump’s spokeswoman fired back at the CNN anchor before getting cut off.
‘The bottom line is that FEMA spent $1 billion on funding for illegal immigrants that Kamala Harris and Joe Biden let into the country,’ Leavitt went on.
‘CNN and many mainstream media outlets reported that more than a month ago,’ Leavitt said.
‘Now, today, we find ourselves in a predicament where Americans are in dire situations in need of food and of water.’
‘And Secretary Mayorkas last week said that FEMA does not have sufficient funding to get through this crisis and through the rest of hurricane season.’
DHS Sec. Alejandro Mayorkas stunningly admitted last week that the agency would not be able to foot the bill for this historic hurricane season without additional funding by Congress.
The dispute became so heated at one point that Bolduan was forced to raise her voice as she talked over Leavitt.
‘I’m talking! Let me finish!’ she emphatically demanded.
After talking over each other Bolduan came out on top: ‘No, no, no … Donald Trump did make [the claim], that they were stealing money from FEMA and using it, and it’s all gone because they’re using it to house migrants. That’s not true.’
‘There’s no disaster relief fund money that was going to house migrants,’ she said matter-of-fact.
The Republican spokeswoman retorted: ‘I don’t think the American people care which pocket the money came from.’
Then after more cross talking about how Trump used FEMA money in 2019 for migrants, Bolduan demanded Leavitt stop.
After Leavitt repeatedly dodged Bolduan on Trump’s 2019 plan, the host cut the interview.
‘I’m not hearing you answer the question of why was okay for the Trump administration to use disaster relief funds in order to deal with migrants in 2019, and it is now completely not okay,’ the CNN anchor said.
‘We’re going to leave it there, because I offered you three times to give me the answer and I’m not getting it! We’ll talk more,’ Bolduan said before continuing on to the next, presumably less combative segment.