CNN’s NewsNight erupted into controversy Monday as a Trump supporter Ryan Girdusky directed a comment at fellow panel member Mehdi Hasan that many condemn as an ethnic slur. Following the program, CNN condemned Girdusky’s comments, saying there is zero tolerance for racism and announcing he will no longer be welcome at the network.
What happened?
During a debate about Donald Trump’s rally at Madison Square Garden, which was widely compared to a 1939 Nazi rally held at the same location, comedian Tony Hinchcliffe made controversial comments about Puerto Rico, evoking fascism’s rhetoric against Trump further fueled.
Hasan commented about the meeting: “If you don’t want to be called Nazis, stop your actions,” but was interrupted by Girdusky, who claimed Hassan was labeled an ‘anti-Semite’ more than anyone else.
Hasan just replied Girdusky considers him an anti-Semite. Girdusky responded sharply to Hasan’s comment: “I hope your pager doesn’t go off,” widely seen as a veiled implication associated with Hasan – known for his outspoken stance on Palestinian rights and criticism of Israel’s military actions, especially after the events of October 7, 2023. , Hamas attacks and Israel’s response.
Hasan asked, visibly surprised, “Did you just say I had to die?”

The exchange drew immediate condemnation from fellow panelists and the show’s host, Abby Phillip, who deemed Girdusky’s comment “completely out of pocket.” Girdusky apologized in response.
After a commercial break, Phillip announced Girdusky’s removal from the show, saying, “A line has been crossed there, and it’s not acceptable to me.” It is not acceptable to us on this network. We want discussion…but if you cross the line into a complete lack of civility, that’s not going to happen here on this show.
CNN says zero tolerance for bigotry; Girdusky doubles down
Phillip later elaborated on the incident in a statement on Twitter, clarifying that Hasan had been welcome to continue the show but chose not to return. “As you may have seen, Ryan was asked to leave the show, and we have issued a statement saying he is no longer welcome on our air,” she wrote. “We really wanted (Hasan) to come back and finish the show… but I wanted to make sure you all knew that wasn’t what happened there.”

After the show, CNN released a statement saying it encourages meaningful discussion and debate, even between individuals who hold strongly opposing views. However, CNN made it clear that they will not tolerate insulting guests or crossing the lines of civility.
“There is no room for racism or bigotry on CNN or on our broadcast. We strive to promote thoughtful conversations and debates, including among people who strongly disagree, to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding. But we will not allow guests to be humiliated or to cross the line of civility will no longer be welcome on our network,” CNN’s statement said.

However, Girdusky doubled down on his actions after the show, tweeting: “You can stay on CNN if you falsely call every Republican a Nazi and took money from Qatari funded media. Apparently you can’t get on CNN if you make a joke. I’m glad America sees what CNN stands for.”

CNN normalizes anti-Muslim hatred: Rashida Tlaib
The exchange drew condemnation from public figures, including Congresswoman Rashida Tlaib, who wrote on Tlaib, himself a Palestinian-American, called CNN’s airing of such comments “not surprising at all” given recent trends.
Mehdi Hasan – a controversial past
Mehdi Hasan’s past comments have often been a point of contention, especially statements he made more than a decade ago about non-Muslims, atheists and LGBTQ individuals. In resurfaced recordings, Hasan compared atheists to “cattle” and included homosexuals in a list of behaviors he described as contrary to Islamic teachings.
At one point he said, “Once we lose the moral high ground, we are no different from…those who live their lives like animals, bending every rule to fulfill every desire.” In response to the backlash for these comments, Hasan has since expressed regret, labeling them as “stupid, offensive rants” from his twenties, which he no longer supports.
He apologized in 2019, explaining that his comments were made in an attempt to be bombastic, and he now finds them embarrassing and not representative of his beliefs.
Beeper vs pager
In September, thousands of modified pagers became weapons of destruction in an attack on Hezbollah. Israeli agents planted explosives in these devices, originally intended for communications, which detonated upon receipt of a routine message. This resulted in at least 11 deaths and more than 2,800 injuries in Lebanon. The pagers, manufactured by Taiwan’s Gold Apollo, were covertly modified by Israeli intelligence and distributed to Hezbollah, disguised as standard equipment, to ensure effectiveness.
For many, calling these devices “beepers” feels dismissive, especially given the deadly consequences of the operation, which left multiple casualties and spread fear across Lebanon. The casual use of ‘beeper’ risks trivializing the incident and its impact, reducing a tragic event to outdated technology terminology.