Jim Acosta Grills Tim Burchett in Heated Clash Over Trump Pardons: ‘Say It! Why Can’t You Say It?
CNN anchor Jim Acosta had a heated exchange with Rep. Tim Burchett (R-TN) over former President Donald Trump’s decision to pardon individuals convicted of attacking police officers during the January 6 Capitol riots. Acosta challenged Burchett to condemn Trump’s actions, pointing out how these pardons undermined the Republican Party’s long-standing support for law enforcement.
Trump’s pardons for the January 6 rioters, including some who committed violent crimes against police officers, sparked widespread criticism from both Democrats and Republicans.
Law enforcement groups like the Fraternal Order of Police and the International Association of Chiefs of Police also expressed disappointment, calling the pardons deeply discouraging. Despite the outcry, some GOP leaders have avoided directly criticizing Trump, often deflecting the conversation to other issues.
On CNN Newsroom, Acosta didn’t hold back. As the interview began, Burchett made a lighthearted comment, saying, “It’s good to be on here for my weekly beating from CNN.” But Acosta quickly shifted the tone, pressing Burchett to take a clear stance on Trump’s pardons.
Acosta pointedly asked: “What happened to backing the blue? Your party has always said it stands with law enforcement. How can you reconcile that with these pardons for people who assaulted police officers? Why not just say, ‘You were wrong, Mr. President’?”
Burchett responded by saying, “If they broke the law, they should be in jail, but you’re springing this on me. I don’t know the details about all these individuals or what they did.” He then tried to redirect the conversation, mentioning past riots and violence against police officers in other contexts, asking why there wasn’t more outrage for those incidents.
Acosta, however, wasn’t satisfied and called out Burchett’s attempt to change the subject. “This isn’t about riots elsewhere,” he argued. “This is about the people who stormed the Capitol—and President Trump letting them out of jail. Why can’t you just say Trump was wrong?”
The conversation grew more intense as Acosta demanded answers, saying, “Say it! Why can’t you just say, ‘You were wrong, Mr. President’?” Burchett continued to dodge, claiming he wasn’t fully informed about the cases and suggesting that not everyone pardoned had committed violence.
Acosta responded firmly, reminding viewers that law enforcement groups had already spoken out against the pardons and were deeply discouraged by Trump’s actions. The anchor pushed back against Burchett’s claims, accusing him of deflecting instead of addressing the issue.
The fiery exchange underscored the growing divide within the Republican Party, as some members remain hesitant to criticize Trump even when his actions conflict with their stated principles, such as supporting law enforcement. For Acosta, the interview highlighted what he saw as hypocrisy, while Burchett struggled to defend his position, resorting to vague answers and shifting the focus to unrelated topics.
