CNN host Jim Acosta persistently interrupted guest Brian Lanza on Wednesday to answer a question about former President Donald Trump's stance on abortion.
Trump said during Tuesday night's ABC News debate. Veto Acosta said he would enact a nationwide abortion ban if re-elected, but said he would not sign a federal abortion ban. On “CNN Newsroom with Jim Acosta,” Acosta asked Lanza, a former deputy communications director for the Trump campaign, about the former president's position, but repeatedly interrupted him and accused him of not telling the “truth.” (Related: Kamala Harris once thought a border wall was “un-American.” Now she supports it.)
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Jim Acosta frequently interrupts guests trying to explain President Trump's abortion policies pic.twitter.com/NHWYUxFXpP
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) September 11, 2024
“Brian, I want to ask you about that. Trump called his answer on abortion 'perfect,' but when the host pressed him on whether he would veto a nationwide abortion ban, he refused to answer,” Acosta said.
Lanza said he believed Trump had already made it clear he would not sign a nationwide abortion ban, but Acosta cut him off when he tried to discuss Trump's comments during the debate. The CNN host repeated his claim that Trump did not answer whether he would veto a nationwide abortion ban during the debate.
“Jim, I was answering a question. Thank you for the opportunity,” Lanza said, before Acosta interrupted him again, saying, “Now, if you're not going to answer the question, I'm going to cut you in, Brian.”
“I'm trying to answer a question and you're jumping around. You're making me answer a question when I say I'm trying to answer a question,” Lanza shot back. “I was trying to answer your deep, thoughtful question and what he was trying to say last night and what he said, listen closely, I think he was saying, 'The country does not support late-term abortion. 91 percent of the country believes late-term abortion is a terrible thing.'”
Acosta then interjected again to fact-check Lanza's comments, as well as to clarify claims made by Trump during the debate that Democratic states allow abortions later in pregnancy and that babies are sometimes killed after botched abortions.
“Jim, let me finish my answer,” Lanza said. “I know you don't want to hear it because it's inconvenient for you, but I'm going to answer it anyway.”
“Brian, if you're not going to tell the truth, I'm going to have to step in, I'm sorry,” Acosta responded.
Lanza asked if Acosta really wanted to know “the truth” and answers to his questions.
“Yes, we want to know the truth,” Acosta said.
“I'm trying to explain and tell you the truth, but you constantly interrupt, which leads me to believe that you don't want to hear the answer because it's not convenient for you,” Lanza said. “So for the fourth time, I'm going to answer this question.”
The former deputy communications director for the Trump campaign then elaborated on Trump's position that abortion is a states' rights issue, and suggested that a nationwide abortion ban is not possible and that Trump does not support it.
“This isn't C-SPAN, Brian. When I ask the question … I can't go on forever saying why didn't he say whether he would veto it or not,” Acosta said.
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