CNBC's Rick Santelli ripped as 'psychopath' for on-air 'meltdown' over COVID-19 restrictions

CNBC's Andrew Ross Sorkin and Rick Santelli clashed over coronavirus restrictions, setting off another round of discussion on social media.

The conservative Santelli loudly insisted that bars and restaurants, which are shut down in many areas, were no more dangerous than large retailers, which have mostly been allowed to stay open, and Sorkin cut him off.

“Rick, just as a public-health and public-service announcement for the audience, the difference between a big-box retailer and a restaurant or, frankly, even a church, are so different it’s unbelievable,” Sorkin said, as Santelli kept interrupting. “Going into a big-box retailer, you’re wearing a mask.”

Santelli, whose on-air rant helped birth the Tea Party and who recently urged viewers to speed up herd immunity by purposefully getting infected with COVID-19, started screaming.

“I disagree!" Santelli shouted. "I disagree! I disagree! You can have your thoughts and I can have mine!”

The disagreement provoked strong reactions on Twitter.