Carl Bernstein—one of the legendary journalists whose reporting exposed the Watergate scandal and led to the resignation of then-President Richard Nixon—isn't mincing words in his evaluation of former President Donald Trump.
In comments to CNN host Brian Stelter, Bernstein called Trump an "American war criminal" before doubling down.
Watch below.
Carl Bernstein: "[Trump] is our own American war criminal of a kind we\u2019ve never experienced before."\n\nBrian Stelter: "You just said war criminal. What do you mean, war criminal?"\n\nBernstein: "I did."pic.twitter.com/ZK7OiLgfrG— Justin Baragona (@Justin Baragona) 1627227286
Describing Trump as "delusional," Bernstein said:
"I think we need to calmly step back and maybe look at Trump in a different context. He is our own American war criminal of a kind we've never experienced before."
After Stelter asked him to elaborate, the reporter continued:
"In international law there have been 'crimes against humanity.' I think what we're talking about, Trump's crimes, as an American war criminal, in his own country that he has perpetrated upon our people, including the tens of thousands of people who died because of his homicidal negligence in the pandemic, putting his own electoral interests above the health of our people as they were slaughtered in this pandemic."
Bernstein wasn't done:
"Looking at his actions in terms of fomenting a coup to hold on to office, in which the head of the American Military, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff has now compared Trump—not the press, not reporters comparing Trump to Hitler—but rather the head of the American Military comparing him and his movement to Brown Shirts, to the Reichstag Fire. ... It fits as a piece with something so extraordinary in our history. It's not political. Trump is not just political. He transcends the political, and we need to start looking at his crimes in that context."
Trump admitted to Bernstein's onetime partner, Bob Woodward, in a taped interview that the former President intentionally downplayed the threat posed by the virus that's killed over 600 thousand Americans. Trump repeatedly resisted the implementation of basic health guidelines, including shutdowns, emphasizing the importance of keeping the economy—whose stability he touted as his number one achievement—afloat.
"You're gonna get heat for talking about war crimes," Stelter responded.
But in fact, Bernstein was met with agreement on social media.
spot on Carl.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— keathp (@keathp) 1627251569
That\u2019s goddamned right.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— Kim \ud83c\udf38 (@Kim \ud83c\udf38) 1627243982
It\u2019s important to name this man for what he is and the ongoing threat he poses. Trump is a war criminal, and he must face the moral and legal consequences of his conduct. Do not accept any attempts to dismiss the reality of the present danger by the elected or the media.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— Ruthless But Graceful (@Ruthless But Graceful) 1627241463
Well stated @carlbernsteinhttps://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— Get vaccinated save lives! (@Get vaccinated save lives!) 1627245686
Finally calling it like it is.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— Stephen Gauvin (@Stephen Gauvin) 1627230359
No lies detected.https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— Carol Ann Leif (@Carol Ann Leif) 1627252648
Some were glad to see Bernstein not holding back in his characterization of Trump.
Thank you Carl Bernstein for being one of the (none too) early ones to break ranks with the typical MSM talking head talking points.\n\nRED ALERT: this is not a drill. This is a fight, to the death, for democracyhttps://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— Grila Blitznet (the character known as) (@Grila Blitznet (the character known as)) 1627242393
Carl Bernstein called TFG a war criminal on CNN and he was right.\nhttps://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113?s=21\u00a0\u2026https://twitter.com/cjcmichel/status/1418303027644141569\u00a0\u2026— So damned tired (@So damned tired) 1627247941
Not pulling any punches....https://twitter.com/justinbaragona/status/1419320225305178113\u00a0\u2026— Terri Morgan (@Terri Morgan) 1627232298
Bernstein isn't backing down.
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AMC