A CNN panel erupted into a heated exchange on Monday night, featuring a clash between Rep. Byron Donalds (R-FL) and Keith Boykin, a former White House aide under Bill Clinton. The confrontation stemmed from a discussion about crime rates under President Joe Biden, ignited by a clip of Donald Trump calling for “one rough hour” to combat crime.
Host Abby Phillip asked Donalds whether Trump was implying that law enforcement should have unchecked authority for a day as a solution to crime. Donalds defended Trump, stating, “No, he’s not,” and clarified that the clip was just a five-second excerpt from a longer speech, arguing that Trump often speaks unscripted without any serious policy behind such remarks.
Boykin strongly disagreed, asserting, “Donald CNN Trump has a history of saying inflammatory things,” challenging Donalds to confront Trump about his rhetoric. The tension escalated as Boykin expressed frustration, wishing Donalds would have “the courage to stand up to your dear leader” when he’s wrong. In response, Donalds pivoted the discussion to the violent rhetoric directed at Trump, referencing two assassination attempts against him.
Phillip pressed Donalds on how Trump’s call for a “rough hour” could be seen as anything but violent rhetoric. Donalds responded by emphasizing the crime situation in America, while Boykin interrupted, insisting that Donalds was evading the question. The argument intensified when Donalds claimed that crime rates were significantly up.
Boykin’s frustration peaked as he shouted, “Crime is not massively up! That’s a lie! You’re lying, congressman!” He then turned to Phillip, demanding, “Abby, why do you let this man lie on national television like this? This is not right!” Donalds retorted, accusing Boykin of misleading the public.
As the debate continued, Phillip noted that the FBI had released data showing a decrease in crime for the first half of the year. Despite this, Donalds maintained his stance that crime had risen since the pandemic. Boykin expressed exasperation, stating, “I’m not gonna sit here and let this man lie all night on television,” as the discussion spiraled further into chaos.
