'Do you really want to go there!': CNN panel melts down as two Republicans clash over race
A heated CNN panel discussion on Wednesday quickly spiraled into chaos after a fiery exchange between Republican strategist Shermichael Singleton and “The View's" co-host Ana Navarro, also Republican, left host Abby Phillip struggling to control her guests.
The turbulent moment unfolded when the debate over the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia took a sharp turn as Singleton and Navarro began sparring over minority communities and profiling.
“If you come in illegally, you have to leave,” Singleton said. “Americans are tired of that. We do not have unlimited resources – we have to care for our own people first.”
That’s when Navarro, a longtime Trump critic, stepped in and said: “You know who was here illegally with a deportation order? Marco Rubio's grandfather.”
That’s when race was injected into the discussion, and it turned into an all-out war of words, with both Navarro and Singleton talking over each other as Phillip tried to rein the two in.
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“There’s a hell of a lot of people other than the black people who were brought here as slaves, who came to this country illegally,” Navarro said.
“I think you actually misheard what she said,” Phillip said as the two exchanged tense words with each other, to which Navarro replied: “No, he purposely misheard it.”
The tense exchange escalated when Singleton told Navarro: “Last time I check, I’m Black, you’re not.”
“Do I have to remind you the history of my people?!” Singleton said. “Do you want to go there? Do you really want to go there?!”
That’s when Phillip kicked the segment to commercial as both Singleton and Navarro continued to spar.
"Are you kidding me!" Singleton said.