Donald Trump Makes Shocking Claim About CNN Political Commentator: 'He Was Crying Like a Baby!'

President Donald Trump posted a tirade on Truth Social aimed at CNN political commentator Van Jones in which he claimed that Jones came to him "crying like a baby" asking for help to pass the First Step Act in 2018. Trump argued that because he delivered on the criminal justice reform legislation, Jones should not be publicly criticizing him on air and calling him a "dictator."

Although Jones has sided with the president on more than a few occasions, he has frequently referred to him as a "dictator" on air.

In his Monday morning, May 4, rant, the 79-year-old president reminded his followers that he worked with Jones and other African American leaders to pass the bipartisan First Step Act in 2018, a criminal justice reform bill.

In his post, Trump claimed that Jones had previously come to him "crying like a baby" because criminal justice reform was "DEAD" in Congress, and that Trump personally rounded up the votes to pass it.

“When a devastated (he was crying like a baby!) Van Jones of CNN came to me with a group of African American leaders; he had 'DEAD' in getting Criminal Justice Reform approved in Congress. Van Jones and these Black reps had been unsuccessfully fighting to get 'Reform' for many years,” Trump wrote.

“He was just wasting everyone’s time – Needed 5 Conservative Senators – there was no chance, or even hope, for a win. I liked some of the people he was with, agreed with what they were saying, and quickly rounded up the votes needed to get CRIMINAL JUSTICE REFORM approved. It was NOT easy! Nobody else, including Obama, who tried to for years, could have done this! Now I watch this guy, Van Jones, every chance he gets, calling me a 'Dictator,' and far worse. He should be ashamed of himself!!! President DJT,” he concluded.

The former Barack Obama adviser has praised Trump on several isolated occasions, primarily regarding criminal justice reform, political intelligence, and specific moments of presidential delivery, despite remaining a vocal critic of Trump's broader policies and administration.

Jones has previously acknowledged and praised Trump's work on the First Step Act and the appointment of Alice Johnson.

An American criminal justice reform advocate, author, and former federal prisoner, Johnson was appointed as a "Pardon Czar" by the POTUS in February 2025. After serving over 21 years of a life sentence for a nonviolent drug offense, she was granted clemency in 2018 following advocacy by Kim Kardashian, later receiving a full pardon in 2020.

In 2018, Jones praised Trump for championing the bipartisan bill, calling the Senate vote a "Christmas miracle" and stating that Trump deserved credit for taking a stand to help the "forgotten men and women" in federal prisons.

When Trump won his second term, Jones pushed back against Democrats who labeled Trump a fool, stating, "Donald Trump is smarter than me, you, and all of his critics.”

Jones has a well-documented history of publicly praising Trump and his son-in-law, Jared Kushner, for their direct roles in passing the First Step Act.

He has argued in the past that Trump has actually gotten "too little credit" for his actions regarding criminal justice reform.

When Trump pushed a similar narrative in 2019 — claiming that Jones had apologized to Kushner for not thanking Trump enough on air — Jones explicitly went on the record to say he never made any such apology. He stated on WRAL News that he is always willing to commend specific achievements while vigorously calling out policies he disagrees with.

However, he remains a fierce critic of Trump's administration and rhetoric on other fronts, actively hammering the Trump administration on specific accountability issues, such as demanding full transparency regarding the Jeffrey Epstein files.