CNN commentator Paul Begala questioned why President Trump "picked on" two of the United Kingdom's most prominent "people of color" in the days before his state visit.
Ahead of his transatlantic trip, Trump made headlines with comments about both London Mayor Sadiq Khan and Duchess of Sussex Meghan Markle. The president responded to a blistering op-ed Khan wrote slamming the president by calling the mayor a 'stone cold loser' and compared him to New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio.
He also -- during an interview with "The Sun" newspaper -- said he did not know Markle had made "nasty" comments about him after being presented with negatives remarks she previously made. In the same interview, Trump expressed well wishes to her as one of the newest members of the Royal family.
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During a CNN panel, Begala began by calling Trump's "obsession" with Khan a "great mystery," only to then suggest something else was potentially at play.
"There's 67 million people in Great Britain, one of our very closest allies in the whole world," Begala said. "Not only did he pick Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, he picked on the Duchess of Sussex, who is an American... They are the two most famous people of color in Great Britain. It's very interesting to me when he picks his fights and his enemies."
The former Clinton advisor also called it "interesting" that Trump hasn't attacked former London mayor Boris Johnson, the British conservative leader who may become the next prime minister, but was previously very critical of Trump before he was president, arguing that the criticism from the "Muslim mayor of London" is "nothing" compared to Johnson.
Pro-Trump panelist Steve Cortes slammed Begala, calling it "totally irresponsible" for suggesting there was a "racial component" to Trump's attacks, but the liberal pundit doubled down.
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"Boris Johnson has insulted the president worse and today snubbed Donald Trump," Begala continued.
"President Trump said 'I think Johnson would be a good prime minister,' he wanted to meet with Boris Johnson. Johnson snubbed President Trump -- much worse than anything Sadiq Khan is doing. Again, one of these things is not like the other. Why do you pick with a fight with the Muslim mayor but you don't say anything about the rightwing white guy?"
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