'Not even a raised eyebrow': CNN shamed for failing to fact-check Republican on Trump

A Republican lawmaker steamrolled a CNN anchor on live television Wednesday only to be subjected to a brutal fact-check from infuriated viewers online.

Rep. Dan Crenshaw opened his interview by forcing anchor Boris Sanchez to apologize for a quote he claimed had been misrepresented, then continued to assert former President Donald Trump had been a strong supporter of Ukraine.

"Earlier this year," Sanchez told Crenshaw, "you said that Republicans torpedoing the bipartisan Senate border bill was, I'm quoting you, 'the height of stupidity."

"You're misquoting me, I didn't say that," Crenshaw replied. "I said the height of stupidity is having an opinion on something that you haven't read yet. That's very different."

Crenshaw was in fact slamming Republicans' response to a bipartisan border bill — which subsequently died in the Senate — which they had not read.

Rather than make that point, however, Sanchez replied, "I must have misread it. I appreciate the correction."

The conversation then turned to Ukraine as Sanchez noted Trump's chosen running mate Sen. J. D. Vance has openly admitted he doesn't "really care" what happens to the war-torn ally combatting a Russian invasion led by President Vladimir Putin.

Crenshaw replied he didn't really care about any of Vance's views.

"Trump has always been pretty good about supporting Ukraine," Crenshaw said. "So I'm not as worried about about the Trump presidency."

This comment caught the attention of journalist Aaron Rupar, who rushed to issue on X the fact-check Sanchez did not deliver on television.

"Trump was impeached for trying to blackmail the Ukrainian president," Rupar wrote.

Trump was accused in 2019 of illegally pressuring Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky to support his re-election campaign by investigating now-President Joe Biden, but was ultimately cleared in a Senate trial two months later.

At the heart of the case was a phone call during which Trump demanded the investigation after alluding to military aid to Ukraine he had blocked.

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Rupar's reminder of the call, the impeachment and Crenshaws' take spurred outrage directed both at conservatives and CNN.

"Of course he’s lying," wrote Christine Galea.

"Trump's idea of 'supporting Ukraine' was serving it to Putin on a gaudy, gold-plated platter," replied Jane Paul Jones.

"Everyone needs a refresher course on the years 2016-2021," wrote Paula Behnken. "It's like there is global amnesia afoot."

"The gaslighting never ends or even lets up a little," wrote Jonathan Vankin.

"And no push back," wrote D. Lawrence. "Not even a raised eyebrow."

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