CNN anchor Dana Bash fired back at President Donald Trump Monday, saying that CNN “does not hate our country.”
During a press conference with Nayib Bukele, president of El Salvador, Trump said “fake news” CNN doesn’t like to talk about positive numbers about the administration “because I think they hate our country, actually.”
While the meeting continued, Bash said on “Inside Politics,” “We have heard a lot of bits of information, a lot of news nuggets that we want to definitely focus on, a lot of — some misinformation as well.”
“I just want to say for the record, since we heard President Trump say in the Oval Office that CNN hates our country. CNN does not hate our country. That should go without saying. I’ve been here for 32 years, and I see a rhetorical device in him trying to — to say such a thing,” she added.
EL SALVADOR’S BUKELE SAYS US CANNOT ‘FREE CRIMINALS AND THINK CRIME IS GOING TO GO DOWN MAGICALLY’
During the press conference, the two presidents discussed immigration and crime, among other topics. Bukele congratulated Trump on his success at the southern border.
The Trump administration has been working with Bukele on deportation flights, sending alleged Tren de Aragua gang members to El Salvador’s Terrorism Confinement Center.
“Actually, what you’re doing with the border is remarkable,” Bukele said. “[Crossings have] dropped, what, 95%? It’s incredible.”
“As of this morning, 99%, 99.1% to be exact,” Trump said.
“Why are those numbers not in the media?” Bukele asked.
Trump responded, “Well, they get out, but the fake news, like CNN over here, doesn’t want to put them out because they don’t like putting out good numbers … because I think they hate our country, actually.”
DEM SENATOR BACKS TRUMP’S FENTANYL CRACKDOWN PLAN: WE HAVE TO DESTROY THE CARTELS
Trump thanked Bukele for the question, adding, “Why doesn’t the media, why don’t they put out numbers?”
U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) numbers released for March showed 7,180 recorded illegal crossings, a strong contrast to the monthly average of 155,000 crossings during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
In a statement to Fox News Digital, White House spokesperson Taylor Rogers said, “Fake News CNN was handed the facts on the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia by President Trump, his Cabinet Secretaries, and El Salvador President Bukele. CNN’s ratings continue to plummet because Americans don’t want illegal, criminal terrorists to be kidnapped from their country and returned to the US.”
Also during the press conference, Trump called CNN’s Kaitlan Collins a “very low-rated anchor.” Collins ignored the remark and asked Trump if he would ask Bukele to bring back Abrego Garcia, who was in the country illegally and allegedly part of the terrorist gang, MS-13.
Attorney General Pam Bondi told Collins that it was “up to El Salvador” if the country wanted to return him.
Trump interjected that CNN asked “with a slant, because they are totally slanted.”
“They don’t know what’s happening, that’s why nobody is watching them,” Trump said.
White House advisor Stephen Miller was also tapped in by Trump to respond to Collins, saying it was “very arrogant even for American media to suggest that we would even tell El Salvador how to handle their own citizens.” He added that because Trump had declared MS-13 a foreign terrorist outfit, Abrego Garcia was ineligible for immigration relief in the U.S.
Garcia was granted temporary protection status in the U.S. by a court in 2019 from being removed to El Salvador, after it determined he would face criminal prosecution from gangs if he were removed to his home country.
Fox News Digital reached out to CNN for comment, but did not immediately receive a response.
Fox News’ David Rutz contributed to this report.
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