A heated CNN anchor gave fierce pushback on Tuesday afternoon to a Republican lawmaker who tried to deny hearing pleas from farmers who said they're struggling to make ends meet.
CNN's Brianna Keilar got in a fiery back-and-forth with Rep. Mark Alford (R-MO) after she asked him during a live broadcast about what farmers are saying. Alford claimed that the Trump administration was working to give them more relief when the conversation got heated.
"We are giving the farmers their safety nets through 80% of the farm bill that was passed through the 'One Big, Beautiful Bill,'" Alford said. "Those safety nets are there an increase in reference prices. We are helping the American farmers, Donald J. Trump knows the importance of feeding America and the world, and we're gonna get it done."
Keilar didn't hold back in response.
"But that's not what farmers are telling you, right? I know that you've heard from them," she shot back. "They say they're hurting from tariffs. I know you had a town hall this summer, KMIZ reported about one farmer telling you it's not just that China was retaliating, they're not buying soybeans, even though that's back now, but tariffs actually drove up prices of fertilizer and other farm goods. So, I mean, of this idea of loans, but when you're paying more for goods that you paid a certain price for before, and your margins are pretty slim. Do you think the administration is understanding this? Do you think they're getting that message?"
Alford attempted to blame former President Joe Biden for farmers' current woes.
"They do, and they understand as I do, that it was Joe Biden that drove up the price of fertilizer and fuel with his war," he said.
"Well, no, that's not what this farmer told you. So what do you say to him?" Keilar said, pushing back again.
"Well, that's what I'm telling you. I'm telling you right now," Alford said.
"But that's not what this farmer told you, and he's the farmer who's telling you... excuse me. This farmer you heard him. He said this to you," she said.
"Yes, we need to look at fertilizer prices. Fuel has come down and will continue to come down thanks to Donald Trump," Alford said.
But Keilar still wasn't satisfied with Alford's response and pressed further.
"Are you listening to your constituents? Because he was very clear about why his prices were going up," she said.
"Brianna, I did 15 stops on a town hall tour, one of the few Congress members on the Republican side and the Democrat side to actually do that. Yes ma'am. I listened," he said. "I took 256 questions and sat there and listened. Listened to insults, listened to yelling, listened to name-calling, and answered when they wanted to be respectful. I remember that farmer. I understand his concern, but the large number of farmers in Missouri believe in Donald J. Trump and that he's going to get things done. We are doing that with beef prices."
