President Donald Trump weighed in Tuesday on CNN host Chris Cuomo’s Monday night confrontation when he threatened to beat up a man who called him “Fredo.”
Trump’s tweet suggested that Cuomo had nothing to be upset about because, “I thought Chris was Fredo also. The truth hurts. Totally lost it! Low ratings”
I thought Chris was Fredo also. The truth hurts. Totally lost it! Low ratings @CNN https://t.co/yBpGjt4N1T
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2019
President Donald Trump speaks to members of the press before departing from the White House en route to Dayton, Ohio and El Paso, Texas on August 7, 2019. (Zach Gibson/Getty Images)
A video of the altercation was recorded on video and posted on the Youtube channel “THAT’S THE POINT with Brandon.” It depicts Cuomo steadily losing his temper as a photograph-hound bothers him for a picture. The man insists he believes Cuomo’s first name to be “Fredo,” and Cuomo responded by claiming that “Fredo” was a racial epithet for people of Italian descent. (RELATED: Chris Cuomo Getting Hit On All Sides For Insisting ‘Fredo’ Is An Ethnic Slur)
“No, punk ass bitches from the right call me Fredo,” Cuomo said. “I’m an anchor on CNN. Fredo was on ‘The Godfather.’ He was the weak brother, and they use it as an Italian aspersion. Any of you Italian? It’s a fucking insult to your people. It’s an insult to your fucking people. It’s like the n-word for us. So, is that a cool fucking thing?”
“You’re a much more reasonable guy in person than you seem to be on television,” the man responded.
“If you want to play then we’ll fucking play,” said Cuomo, beginning to get angry. “If you got something you want to say about what I do on television than say it … You’re gonna have a big fucking problem. It’s a little different on TV. Don’t fucking insult me like that.” (RELATED: Chris Cuomo Says Antifa Fights For ‘A Good Cause’)
Although many on social media have criticized Cuomo for losing his temper, swearing and threatening the man, others have defended the news anchor for what they see as a legitimate response to an insult to himself and his family.
CNN’s Chris Cuomo appears on ABC’s “The View,” 1/24/2019. Screen Shot/ABC
Conservative Fox News host Sean Hannity was one of those who justified Cuomo’s tantrum, tweeting, “I say good for @ChrisCuomo. He’s out with his 9 year old daughter, and his wife, and this guy is being a jackass in front of his family. Imho Chris Cuomo has zero to apologize for. He deserves the apology.”
I say good for @ChrisCuomo
He’s out with his 9 year old daughter, and his wife, and this guy is being a jackass in front of his family.
Imho Chris Cuomo has zero to apologize for. He deserves the apology. https://t.co/VnyMNgz14U
— Sean Hannity (@seanhannity) August 13, 2019