CNN host clashes with Republican lawmaker over Trump's statement that he will protect women whether they “like it or not”

CNN anchor John Berman criticized Rep. Byron Donalds (R-Florida) over former President Trump's recent comments that he would protect women whether they “like it or not.”

The two debated the nature of the comments, with Berman claiming they were sexist while Donalds accused him of glossing over the fact that Trump is promising to protect innocent Americans from criminal illegal immigrants.

“John, what you just played is completely inaccurate,” Donalds said on CNN News Central Thursday morning. “He spoke about the tragedy at our southern border that led to the death of Jocelyn Nungaray.”

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Rep. Byrons Donalds, R-Fla., clashes with CNN's John Berman over former President Trump's recent comments that he would protect women whether they “liked it or not.” (Screenshot/CNN)

Berman opened the conversation with a brief clip from the former president's rally on Wednesday in Wisconsin, where he wore a high-visibility vest on stage after posing for photos with a shotgun in a garbage truck earlier in the afternoon. At one point during the rally, Trump joked that his advisers had told him not to portray himself as a protector of women.

“They said, 'Sir, I just find it inappropriate for you to say that.' I pay these people a lot of money; Can you believe that?” Trump said, adding: “I said, 'Well, I'm going to do it whether the women like it or not. I will protect her. I will protect them from incoming migrants. I do.' I will protect them from foreign countries that want to hit us with missiles and many other things.''

Berman played a snippet of the moment, but cut the portion of the clip that referenced illegal immigrants and other foreign opponents. He then asked Donalds, “Okay, why does Donald Trump tell women he's going to do things whether they want it or not?”

Donalds criticized Berman's account, first criticizing him for ignoring context and then pointing out that Trump was just “joking” about ignoring political advice.

“And then he just told a joke – really, he told a joke about how some employees said, 'No, don't say you're protecting women because they'd take it out of context' – obviously what CNN does .” right now,” he said, criticizing Berman’s network.

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Republican presidential candidate former President Donald Trump gestures after his speech at a campaign rally at the Resch Center on Wednesday, Oct. 30, 2024, in Green Bay, Wisconsin. (AP Photo/Julia Demaree Nikhinson)

The CNN anchor then tried to talk over him by saying, “No, no, no. No, no, no, no, no. You have exactly the right content – ​​you have exactly the right context here, Congressman.”

Still, Donalds continued, emphasizing that Trump was talking about protecting women and children from “violent illegal foreign criminals who have raped and murdered women in the United States.”

Berman again acknowledged that Donalds had the correct context, but wanted him to answer whether or not the language Trump used was inappropriate.

“His advisors told him not to use that kind of language and say, 'I will be your protector.' And that is the context of this speech.”

Donalds appeared upset by the approach and told the host: “John, you have to stop.”

Berman continued, “And then he said, 'I'm going to protect them – the women – whether they like it or not.'”

“And I’m not the only one asking you about this language,” the host continued, as Donalds said again, “John, you have to stop.”

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Berman pushed the issue, playing a clip of former Republican presidential candidate Nikki Haley's recent comments that Trump's campaign was using too much “bromance and masculinity stuff” in its campaign messages that would “make women uncomfortable.”

After CNN played the clip, Berman asked: “So you're telling me that it's for Nikki Haley or – clearly, as Donald Trump said – for people close to him, for his campaign or for the kind of language he uses used, there are no concerns?”

Donalds replied, “John, listen, I love the selective editing this morning. You are bringing two very different things together. Let's get to the heart of the message you presented at the beginning: Donald Trump talked about protecting women and children in our country.” Protecting our country from the ravages of illegal immigration.

“You see it now,” he continued, “we all know the headlines. Jocelyn Nungaray, Rachel Morin, Laken Riley – these are women who have been abused, killed, raped… And so Donald Trump will protect the women of our country.” He will protect the women of our country.

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Berman sidestepped Donald's argument and spoke over him again, asking, “Why say – why say whether they like it or not?” He repeated the question several times as Donalds tried to explain the importance of empowering women by securing the to protect the border.

The lawmaker responded: “That's why the American people are frankly frustrated with the media because you play games and take things out of context. You don’t explain them clearly and you want to get caught up in the semantics.”