CNN’s Chris Cuomo spars with CPAC head over Trump: ‘He’s a liar’

CNN anchor Chris Cuomo clashed with the head of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) on Friday night over whether President Trump is generally honest.

“This president has made a mockery of political discourse, decency and truth-telling, and you know it,” Cuomo told Matt Schlapp, the chairman of the American Conservative Union that hosts CPAC, in an interview on “Cuomo Prime Time.”

“I don’t know that,” Schlapp responded.

The pair sparred throughout the segment, with Cuomo repeatedly saying that the president “lies all the time” and calling him “a liar.”

“You’re missing the forest for some little saplings and that’s a mistake.” – CPAC Chairman Matt Schlapp argues that people are too “obsessed” with President Trump’s “inaccuracies” pic.twitter.com/9rapt8jDRI

— Cuomo Prime Time (@CuomoPrimeTime) March 1, 2019

“The president was very clear with the American voter about what he intended to do,” Schlapp said. “What he has done is to put into place what he said he would do. What you all are obsessed with is the inaccuracies that some people say exist along the way.”

Schlapp, whose wife Mercedes Schlapp serves in a top communications role in the Trump White House, argued that the host was focused on small details and not broader issues.{mosads}

“Talk about the forest,” he said. “You’re missing the forest for some little saplings.”

“I don’t see them as saplings,” Cuomo responded. 

Cuomo ended the segment by telling Schlapp he was always welcome on his show, but added, “I just get a little touchy when we ignore the obvious.”

The interview was broadcast in the main auditorium at CPAC on Saturday as the audience awaited Trump’s speech there.

CPAC is an annual conservative conference that features prominent right-leaning speakers. The conference, largely attended by university students, was set to wrap up later Saturday.