Laughter as conservative's stammering attempt to defend Trump backfires

A conservative activist's credulous acceptance of the Trump administration's characterization of the Iran war crumbled under kid-gloves pushback from CNN's Audie Cornish on Wednesday.

Tea Party Patriots co-founder Jenny Beth Martin tried to claim Rep. Thomas Massie's (R-KY) surprise impeachment push against Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth was a political stunt — then waded into the murky waters of the war.

"Right now in the Strait of Hormuz, a fifth of theworld's oil goes through there," she said. "Iran has been willing to plantmines and missiles and try toprevent ships from going throughthere. Those ships havefertilizer that we need to growfood, it affects ourgrocery stores. I think that wehave to make sure we havecontrol of the strait."

Cornish jumped in for clarification.

"So is this like a 'we brokeit, we bought it' situation?" Cornish asked.

Martin repeated administration talking points on the global fuel crisis sparked by Iran's closure of the strait in response to Trump's military action.

"We have to increase our ownenergy production," Martin said. "I don't thinkthat we broke it. Iran has beenat war with us for four [decades]."

Cornish held her up and said the Strait of Hormuz was open before Trump launched the war Feb. 28, but was no longer – a characterization Martin challenged.

"It is now under U.S. control, so there is still ships going through," Martin insisted.

Cornish leaned in and asked her to plainly state whether she believed what she was saying.

"Do you believe it's underU.S. control?" Cornish said, speaking in italics. "Do you think the shippingcompanies believe it's underU.S. control?"

Other panelists chuckled as Martin stammered and claimed that she did.

- YouTubeyoutu.be