Piers Morgan had a sharp response to MAGA influencer Ben Shapiro and his claims about the host on Monday.
In an episode of "Piers Morgan Uncensored," Morgan responded to Shapiro's comments after Morgan hosted comedian and political commentator Dave Smith, who took a few swipes at both Morgan and his guest.
"Apparently his job is never to tell jokes but to instead give poorly informed foreign policy takes, but also to hate America," Shapiro said.
Morgan reacted to Shapiro's remarks, then took a few of his own jabs at the MAGA podcast host's biases.
"Ben Shapiro is undoubtedly an intelligent and influential commentator," Morgan said. "I’ve always liked and respected him, even when we disagree. I still do. He’s stridently partisan and staunchly conservative, of course, but he’s willing to criticize other Trump and others in the administration when he thinks they’ve got it wrong. One thing he doesn’t criticize, however, is Israel. And he routinely gets upset when other people do. It’s such a blind spot for Ben, that through the red mist of his rage, he’s in an alternative reality where anybody who disagrees with him is a demonic, America-hating terror apologist who could only possibly be doing it for ratings."
Morgan called Shapiro "cowardly" for not debating Smith or others he disagrees with, instead labeling people who don't have the same world views as him.
"We also invite many people who don't support his world view and don't invite the Israeli government," Morgan said.
Shapiro said that Morgan was inviting "Nazis" or "Nazi-adjacent" guests — and that's why Shapiro stopped joining Morgan on his show.
"It's Piers' choice who he decides to have on his show and how he tries to conduct the kind of clown car 'Battle Royale' that he does on his show every night and it's my choice not to join that circus," Shapiro said, saying it had to do with his principles for why he didn't appear on Morgan's show anymore.
Morgan instead described that Shapiro's stance on Israel and the war In Gaza is part of why he's no longer involved in the show, adding that Shapiro has his number and hasn't responded to his messages.
"He lacks the self-awareness to realize that many pro-Palestine contributors got very angry with our show for hosting so-called genocide enablers — like him," Morgan said. "That's exactly why I'm not partisan, and don't want to be. There is more than one view on any emotive or consequential subject. You can't possibly know you're right if you don't know what the other side thinks. That's precisely why free speech exists as a principle we all defend."
"But his own compromising views on Israel, and America's military and political sport for Israel, has turned him into a cancel culture vulture with the very same sneering intolerance that he used to loathe," Morgan said.
Morgan delivered a message to Shapiro directly, using his platform.
"The difference between you and me, Ben, is that I'm heavily criticized by both sides because I listen to both sides and very often I criticize both sides, too, without fear or favor," Morgan said. "You're only criticized by one side because you choose to only air one side and you choose to ignore or even silence the other. I'm a journalist, you are a propagandist. Oh, and facts don't care about your feelings."