President Donald Trump has directed another tweet at Chris Cuomo, this time to call him out for using “filthy language” and losing control in a viral video showing the CNN host threatening a man because he had apparently called Cuomo “Fredo.”
“Would Chris Cuomo be given a Red Flag for his recent rant?” Trump wrote on Aug. 13 about Cuomo, who recently held a town hall on firearms “Filthy language and a total loss of control. He shouldn’t be allowed to have any weapon. He’s nuts!”
Would Chris Cuomo be given a Red Flag for his recent rant? Filthy language and a total loss of control. He shouldn’t be allowed to have any weapon. He’s nuts!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 13, 2019
The video, which was originally posted to YouTube, shows Cuomo, 49, the host of “Cuomo Prime Time,” becoming visibly upset after a man called him by the nickname for Fredo Corleone, the second son of the mafia family in the “Godfather” movie. The video was eventually circulated to Twitter, putting Cuomo into the spotlight.
The man claimed he thought Cuomo was someone named “Fredo,” offending Cuomo so much that the anchor threatened to “throw you down these stairs like a [expletive] punk.” The anchor also claimed that “Fredo” was a slur equivalent to the N-word for African Americans.
Trump first reacted to the video two hours earlier, taking a jab at Cuomo by saying that he also thought “Chris was Fredo also.”
“I thought Chris was Fredo also. The truth hurts. Totally lost it! Low ratings @CNN,” Trump wrote.
Cuomo responded to the video, writing in a post on Aug. 13: “Appreciate all the support but—truth is I should be better than the guys baiting me. This happens all the time these days. Often in front of my family. But there is a lesson: no need to add to the ugliness; I should be better than what I oppose.”
Appreciate all the support but – truth is I should be better than the guys baiting me. This happens all the time these days. Often in front of my family. But there is a lesson: no need to add to the ugliness; I should be better than what I oppose.
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) August 13, 2019
Meanwhile, Cuomo’s network CNN defended him saying that the anchor was being attacked in an “orchestrated setup.”
“Chris Cuomo defended himself when he was verbally attacked with the use of an ethnic slur in an orchestrated setup. We completely support him,” Matt Dornic, vice president of communication for the network, said.
Chris Cuomo defended himself when he was verbally attacked with the use of an ethnic slur in an orchestrated setup. We completely support him.
— Matt Dornic (@mdornic) August 13, 2019
Also among those defending Cuomo was Fox’s Sean Hannity, who wrote: “I say good for @ChrisCuomo He’s out with his 9 year old daughter, and his wife, and this guy is being a jackass in front of his family. Imho Chris Cuomo has zero to apologize for. He deserves the apology.”
Meanwhile, others disputed the characterization of “Fredo” as an ethnic slur, including Donald Trump Jr.. who wrote: “Hey @ChrisCuomo, take it from me, ‘Fredo’ isn’t the N word for Italians, it just means you’re the dumb brother.”
Hey @ChrisCuomo, take it from me, “Fredo” isn’t the N word for Italians, it just means you’re the dumb brother. 😉 https://t.co/sgg6yF7UDO
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 13, 2019
Trump Jr. was reacting to a post from Katrina Pierson, a senior adviser to Trump’s 2020 campaign, who wrote: “Did @ChrisCuomo just say that “Fredo” is to Italians what the N word is to black people? The N word is a dehumanizing word used against blacks who endured years of oppression. Fredo is a term from The Godfather, referring to the dumb brother. Equivocating the two is pure racism.”
Other people held similar views.
“Just so we’re clear, no, calling someone ‘Fredo,’ is not remotely in the same universe as the N-word. You know how you can tell? Ppl say ‘Fredo’ but still won’t say the actual N Word. Also stop harassing public figures in public while living their private lives,” wrote Bishop Garrison, director of Vets 4 American Ideals and Human Rights First.
Just so we’re clear, no, calling someone “Fredo”, is not remotely in the same universe as the N Word. You know how you can tell? Ppl say “Fredo” but still won’t say the actual N Word. Also stop harassing public figures in public while living their private lives #ChrisCuomo
— Bishop Garrison (@BishopGarrison) August 13, 2019
Trump Jr. also pointed out that Cuomo did not take issue with the word being used by a commentator in the past.
Does CNN’s head of PR still think “Fredo” is an ethnic slur after watching this? Because if it’s the N word for Italians like @ChrisCuomo says, I don’t understand why Chris seems so at ease with someone saying it here. An excuse just as fake as his news. #FredoCuomo https://t.co/8G8yuY80CK pic.twitter.com/1gwVyDVCob
— Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) August 13, 2019
“Does CNN’s head of PR still think ‘Fredo’ is an ethnic slur after watching this? Because if it’s the N word for Italians like @ChrisCuomo says, I don’t understand why Chris seems so at ease with someone saying it here. An excuse just as fake as his news,” Trump Jr. wrote.
Epoch Times reporter Zachary Stieber contributed to this report.
