Jake Tapper, a CNN anchor, has admitted to apologizing to Laura Trump following an accusation he made against her. He had claimed she mocked Joe Biden’s speech abilities and mental state during a heated discussion in a 2020 interview.
Tapper shared this on The Megyn Kelly podcast on Tuesday, where he was discussing his new book titled Original Sin, which addresses Biden’s cognitive challenges.
During an intense conversation with Kelly, she mentioned the 2020 interview and questioned Tapper on whether he intended to apologize and concede that Trump was correct.
“I’ve already apologized to her,” Tapper said. “I called her months ago.”
Tapper admitted that after talking with Lara, “she would never mock anybody’s stutter,” but gave no more information about their conversation.
The apology comes years after a contentious 2020 interview on his show, The Lead With Jake Tapper.
Tapper began by asking Lara, the wife of Eric Trump, about comments she made regarding Biden.
Tapper was referencing when Lara said, “Every time he comes on stage and they turn to him, I’m like, ‘Joe, can you get it out. Let’s get the words out.’”
In response to Lara’s previous comments, Tapper asked: “How do you think it makes little kids with stutters feel when they see you make a comment like that?”
Lara argued that she was unaware of Biden’s stutter and made those comments in reference to his “cognitive decline.”
“First and foremost, I had no idea that Joe Biden ever suffered from a stutter,” she replied.
“I think what we see on stage with Joe Biden, Jake, is very clearly a cognitive decline. That’s what I’m referring to.”
As Lara continued to answer the question, Tapper spoke over her and criticized her response.
“This is so amazing,” he repeated.
“I think you were mocking his stutter.
“And I think you have absolutely no standing to diagnose somebody’s cognitive decline.”
Kelly quickly called out the host for his reaction to Lara’s comments in 2020.
“I feel angry because she was right and not only did you not allow her to make her comments, but you seemed to try to humiliate her,” Kelly replied.
“You had a hostility toward the position, but she was totally right and then you lectured her on you said she was in no position to diagnose cognitive decline, which you guys do at length, including on page 4 of your book.
“You describe at length his cognitive decline, which is all she tried to do with you.”
Tapper’s new book, which he co-wrote with Axios reporter Alex Thompson, describes the former president’s deterioration before his withdrawal from the 2024 presidential election.
Excerpts from the book reveal that Biden’s aides mentioned getting the president a wheelchair and that he seemed “out of it” during cabinet meetings.
The book delves into how Biden’s cognitive decline began to affect his professional and personal relationships, including that with George Clooney.
Tapper and Thompson wrote about a moment when Biden failed to recognize the A-list actor at a fundraising event in June 2024.
The authors claimed that an assistant needed to remind the former president who Clooney was, despite Biden having known him for nearly 20 years.
CANCER DIAGNOSIS
Tapper’s interview comes just a few days after Biden announced he was diagnosed with prostate cancer.
The 82-year-old shared on Friday that he was diagnosed with an “aggressive” form of prostate cancer, which has spread to his bones.
What are the symptoms every man needs to know?
In most cases, prostate cancer doesn’t have any symptoms until the growth is big enough to put pressure on the urethra – that tube you pee through.
Symptoms include:
- Needing to urinate more often, especially at night
- Needing to rush to the toilet
- Difficulty in starting to pee
- Weak flow
- Straining and taking a long time while peeing
- Feeling that your bladder hasn’t emptied fully
Many men’s prostates get larger as they age because of the non-cancerous conditions, prostate enlargement, and benign prostatic hyperplasia.
In fact, these two conditions are more common than prostate cancer – but that doesn’t mean the symptoms should be ignored.
The signs that cancer has SPREAD include bone, back, or testicular pain, loss of appetite, and unexplained weight loss.
“Last week, President Joe Biden was seen for a new finding of a prostate nodule after experiencing increasing urinary symptoms,” a statement from Biden’s personal office read.
“On Friday, he was diagnosed with prostate cancer, characterized by a Gleason score of 9 (Grade Group 5) with metastasis to the bone.
“While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive which allows for effective management.
“The President and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians.”
Biden’s peers have already begun honoring the president amid his diagnosis.
Democratic Governor of California, Gavin Newsom, said: “Our hearts are with President Biden and his entire family right now.
“A man of dignity, strength, and compassion like his deserves to live a long and beautiful life,
“Sending strength, healing and prayers his way.”
