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CNN’s Van Jones apologized for comments he made on Bill Maher’s show Friday night which drew intense backlash from critics.
On Friday night’s edition of Real Time on HBO, Jones said: “Iran and Qatar have come up with a disinformation campaign that they are running through TikTok and Instagram that is massive. If you are a young person, you are opening up your phone, and all you see is — dead Gaza baby, dead Gaza baby, dead Gaza baby, Diddy, dead Gaza baby, dead Gaza baby.”
The comments received heavy criticism — as Jones was called out for turning dead children into a punchline.
“I’ve watched hundreds of hours of Gaza videos in the last 2 years, including content filmed by our brave teams inside the strip, and can confirm that the ‘dead Gaza baby’ images are quite real, not the product of a “disinformation campaign” and that there is nothing funny about them,” NBC News correspondent Hala Gorani said.
Many others called out the remarks as well.
Shortly after midnight ET on Sunday, Jones responded to one of his critics on X, and expressed regret for his rant.
“Yeah, I messed up on this one,” Jones wrote. “And I’m sorry. I was trying to raise awareness about foreign adversaries creating chaos online – which is undermining democracy everywhere. But what I said was easily misunderstood, and the way I said it was flat-out insensitive. Babies are dying every day in Gaza. Nobody should dispute that fact or make light of it in any way. To the people living in fear and burying family members every day, of all ages — I apologize.”
Later, Jones added to his apology.
“I made a comment on Real Time with Bill Maher about the war in Gaza that was insensitive and hurtful,” he wrote on X. “I apologize. The suffering of the people of Gaza — especially the children — is not a punch line. I’m deeply sorry it came across that way. What’s happening to children in Gaza is heartbreaking. As a father, I can’t begin to imagine the pain their parents are enduring, unable to protect their kids from unimaginable harm. I’m praying and working for an immediate end to this war — and for peace and safety for every family caught in its path. I’m truly sorry for the pain my words caused to people who are already suffering more than anyone should.”
Watch above, via HBO.
The post ‘I Messed Up’: CNN’s Van Jones Apologizes for Turning ‘Dead Gaza Baby’ Into a Punchline on Bill Maher’s Show first appeared on Mediaite.
