Report: Jake Tapper Went ‘Bananas’ on Staff After Bungled Segment

CNN host Jake Tapper last Tuesday reportedly berated his staff after a series of video clips from the joint Trump-Putin press conference were not properly rolled.

Mediaite lists the three video clips Tapper asked his staff to roll.

1. Trump, at Putin presser says, “I don’t see any reason why it would be Russia”

2. Trump, in televised statement, says he meant to say “I don’t see any reason why it wouldn’t be Russia.”

3. Trump, in televised statement, says he accepts that Russia meddled, before adding, “Could be other people also.”

“[President Trump] “still couldn’t help himself. Bottom line, he doesn’t believe and accept the intelligence community’s assessment. So he contradicts himself even when asserting that he does. Let’s run that clip once more,” Tapper began. CNN staffers appeared to have run video clip number #1, instead of #3. “Okay, so that’s what he said yesterday, now let’s run the clip from today, when he undermines his attempted contradiction,” a confused Tapper said.

The CNN host grew frustrated after his staff once again aired the incorrect video clip.“Then he said, that, uh, he did accept the conclusion of the intelligence community, and then he undermined it, and I’d like to play that clip.” Tapper can then be seen staring directly into the camera, waiting for the clip to run – except it never comes, prompting the host to shake his head and defeatedly, say “Alright, we don’t have the clip for some reason.”

“During the commercial break, we are told that Tapper went ballistic, berating his staff in front of the entire studio for “not reading my emails!” Our source described the outburst as “unhinged” and “bananas,” replete with a lot of shouting about the staff’s incompetence,” writes Mediaite reporter Aidan McLaughlin.

Tapper on Thursday raised eyebrows after accusing President Donald Trump of believing the ”the United States and Russia are on the same moral plain,” for mulling the idea of the U.S. allowing Americans to be interrogated by the Kremlin.

“Seriously. What the hell is going on? Sincere offer from Putin and an incredible offer? I’m looking at you to, you can answer the question, but what?” Tapper asked.

“That’s kind of my reaction too,” Republican operative Josh Holmes replied. “Obviously, what they are trying to do is send a message that they are serious about the 12 Russian government officials that they want to do something about that, but in the process of trying to communicate that somehow they have given validity to a proposal by Vladimir Putin that I don’t know anyone who thinks that would be anywhere remotely acceptable to even have the conversation about. You don’t send diplomats over to interrogated for crimes.”