CNN's Jake Tapper blasts Trump for his friends suffering from 'fanatics and liars'

CNN presenter Jake Tapper former president set on fire Donald Trump about the caricature-like cadre of “fanatics and liars” around him – highlighting an “insanely racist” attack that one of them made on the Vice President Kamala Harris.

Trump was accompanied to the ABC News debate by Laura Loomera debate that was almost unanimously viewed as an overwhelming victory for Harris and a “disaster” for Trump.

Trump's tirade about migrants eating pets (which they don't) – a statement that arose from Loomer-style MAGA fever – is seen as symbolic of the disaster.

Loomer – a 9/11 conspiracy theorist – also accompanied Trump on his trip to the 9/11 memorial on Wednesday after launching her racist attack on Vice President Harris.

On Wednesday output from CNN's The leadershipTapper opened the show with a detailed deconstruction of Trump's debate debacle, attributing things like the tirade about “eating dogs” to the “veritable legion of doom of fanatics and liars” with whom Trump spends his time:

The most notorious evidence of this came last night with this outrageous and more than a little racist lie about Haitians in an Ohio town.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

TRUMP: In Springfield, they eat the dogs. The people who came here eat the cats. They eat – they eat the pets of the people who live there.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: This has to be the craziest topic ever brought up in an American presidential debate. Trump has clung to this claim from the dark corners of the internet without having any evidence to support it. Springfield city officials told CNN there have been no credible reports of immigrants' pets being injured or mistreated.

Conservative commentator Erick Erickson noted, quote, “The liars on the right think Trump repeated their lies.” He could have focused on the real problems in Springfield, but he spread the lies of the idiots on social media, end quote.

Trump actually travels with some of these people who spread conspiracy theories. We should note that there is a veritable legion of bigots and liars, none as depraved as this woman, Laura Loomer, who got off Trump's plane before yesterday's debate. Just on Sunday, she posted an insanely – insanely racist message that if Harris, whose mother was an Indian immigrant, wins, the White House would smell like curry and the White House speeches would be delivered through a call center, end quote.

On this 23rd anniversary of 9/11, we should also mention that Loomer posted last year that 9/11 was an “inside job.”

Trump continues to take this persona with him on his travels. Why? I don't know. But we should note that it's not just Loomer in Trump's circle who is promoting this “migrants eat your cats” meme. It was also pushed by Trump's running mate, Ohio Senator JD Vance.

And other lawmakers who, frankly, often seem more motivated by a desire for clicks and to win over liberals on social media than by facts and truth. Vance has acknowledged the possibility, quote, but all of these rumors will turn out to be false, end quote. Still, he urged his followers to, quote, keep their cat memes running so they, quote, don't let the crybabies in the media scare them, dear patriots.

Vance told CNN's Kaitlan Collins last night that the falsehoods are necessary to get the media to cover these issues.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

SEN. JD VANCE (R-OH), VICE PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE: The people on the ground dealing with this believe it's happening. And I think it's important for journalists to actually be on the ground uncovering these things for themselves.

(END OF VIDEO CLIP)

TAPPER: Wild stuff, lies from a senator, lies with a higher purpose.

Watch above via CNN's The leadership.

Do you have a tip for us? [email protected]