NEW YORK (AP) — CNN cut ties with author and television host Reza Aslan on Friday, less than a week after he profanely referred to President Donald Trump in a tweet about the London terror attacks.
The network said it was not continuing with a second season of “Believer,” Aslan’s series about different religions, which premiered last year. Only two weeks ago CNN dumped comedian Kathy Griffin, co-host of its annual New Year’s Eve celebration, when she was photographed holding a depiction of Trump’s severed head.
Angered about Trump’s social media commentary on the London terror attacks, Aslan tweeted last Saturday that “this piece of s— is not just an embarrassment to America and a stain on the presidency, he’s an embarrassment to humankind.”
Aslan also tweeted that Trump was a “man baby that must be ignored in times of crisis.”
The Iranian-born author later apologized “for my choice of words,” and CNN issued a statement saying “that kind of discourse is never appropriate.” But it wasn’t enough to save his show.
In a statement on Friday, Aslan said he was grateful to CNN for giving his series a chance.
“In these politically charged times, the tenor of our nation’s discourse has become complicated,” he said. “And I recognize that CNN needs to protect its brand as an unbiased news outlet. Similarly, I need to honor my voice. I am not a journalist. I am a social commentator and a scholar.”
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