CNN's Jake Tapper Presses GOP Senator on Whether Donald Trump's Comments About Muslim Democrats Are 'Racist'

CNN anchor Jake Tapper confronted MAGA Republican Sen. Ron Johnson (R-Wis.) with a heated Truth Social tirade from President Donald Trump and asked him if he believed the post was racist.

Responding furiously to their heckling of him at the State of the Union address over the deaths of American citizens at the hands of ICE agents, Trump attacked Muslim Reps. Ilhan Omar (D-Minn.) and Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) with a scathing Truth Social screed.

"When you watch Low IQ Ilhan Omar and Rashida Tlaib, as they screamed uncontrollably last night at the very elegant State of the Union, such an important and beautiful event, they had the bulging, bloodshot eyes of crazy people, LUNATICS, mentally deranged and sick who, frankly, look like they should be institutionalized,” Trump wrote.

“When people can behave like that, and knowing that they are Crooked and Corrupt Politicians, so bad for our Country, we should send them back from where they came — as fast as possible. They can only damage the United States of America, they can do nothing to help it,” he added.

Tapper read those excerpts to Johnson on the Wednesday, February 25, edition of The Lead before asking his opinion.

“Rashida Tlaib is an American citizen, born in this country,” Tapper said. “And of course, Ilhan Omar was a refugee and is an American citizen as well. Obviously, a lot of people have issues with anyone heckling any president. But don’t you think this goes a little far? I mean, definitionally, telling people of color they should go back where they came from when they’re American citizens, doesn’t that strike you as a bit racist?”

A smirking Johnson dodged the question completely and offered his own spin on the situation.

“Well, being in the chamber, it was rude to hear people disrupting the president,” Johnson replied. “I think what really amazed me is when the president asked Democrats just to reaffirm a basic principle that the American government’s primary duty, first duty, ought to be to protect American citizens, not illegal immigrants, illegal aliens. I was shocked that the vast majority, if not all Democrats, just sat on their hands like a bunch of sourpusses, quite honestly. That is a basic principle that every elected official ought to embrace. And Democrats refuse to do it.”

The POTUS has had a history of making disparaging comments, particularly against Omar and her Somali American heritage.

Trump used his record-long State of the Union address to reiterate claims of Somali-linked fraud in Minnesota and claimed "Somali pirates" had ransacked the state, which Omar characterized as a racist attack on her community.

Johnson has faced significant accusations of racism himself from Democratic lawmakers and critics, primarily centered on his comments regarding the January 6 Capitol riot and Black Lives Matter (BLM) protesters.

In March 2021, Johnson stated in a radio interview that he "never really felt threatened" during the January 6 attack because he knew the rioters were "people that love this country, that truly respect law enforcement".

However, he added, “Had the tables been turned... and those were thousands of Black Lives Matter and antifa protesters, I would have been concerned.