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President Trump Calls CNN Staff ‘Horrible Human Beings’ in Leaked Audio From RNC Fundraiser

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President Donald Trump suggested that he is considering suing CNN, who employs what he called “horrible human beings,” according to leaked audio from a Republican National Committee event held in his Washington, D.C., hotel Wednesday night.

Trump hosted the gathering at the Trump International Hotel to fundraise for his re-election campaign. Attendees were charged $35,000 to $100,000 per seat.

“Boy, did CNN get killed over the last few days,” Trump said to the applause of the audience, according to the Intercept, who obtained the audio despite media being barred from the event.

Last week, the network was forced to retract a story that linked a Trump ally to a Russian bank. CNN issued an apology and three of the network’s journalists subsequently resigned.

Trump then zeroed in on CNN political commentator Van Jones, whom the President noted was recently captured on a secretly recorded video calling the allegations of collusion between Trump and the Russian government a “nothing burger,” along with CNN President Jeff Zucker.

“Van Jones — you see this man?” Trump said. “These are really dishonest people. Should I sue them? I mean, they’re phonies. Jeff Zucker, I hear he’s going to resign at some point pretty soon. I mean, these are horrible human beings.”

“It’s a shame what they’ve done to the name CNN, that I can tell you,” Trump added. “But as far as I’m concerned, I love it. If anybody’s a lawyer in the house and thinks I have a good lawsuit — I feel like we do. Wouldn’t that be fun?”

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