CNN Contributor Jonah Goldberg Retracts Statement After Misleading Voters with Erroneous ‘Execution’ Remark on Trump’s Cheney Comments

Another day, another hoax. The mainstream media’s relentless campaign to misrepresent former President Donald Trump has reached new heights.

In a Friday appearance on CNN, so-called conservative pundit Jonah Goldberg falsely claimed that Trump suggested a firing squad execution for former Rep. Liz Cheney (R-Wyo.).

President Trump had criticized Cheney’s hawkish foreign policy views during an interview with Tucker Carlson on Thursday, condemning her stance on “endless wars.” At no point did Trump imply or suggest any such violent intentions toward Cheney—he merely called her out for her support of prolonged conflicts.

Goldberg, however, attacked Trump with an inflammatory conclusion, saying, “I don’t think you even need to call it fire-up on. He’s saying quite explicitly and unambiguously that Liz Chenney should be shot, should be executed by a firing squad. That is appalling. It is a small facet of the reasons why he’s unfit for office, and the Republican Party has made a disastrous mistake renominating him.”

WATCH:

Well well well.

Columnist Jonah Goldberg, who lied on CNN that Trump wanted to execute Cheney, has issued a correction for spreading the false story.pic.twitter.com/KCungStqKZ

— Sara Rose (@saras76) November 1, 2024

After facing backlash for his inflammatory remarks, Goldberg issued a retraction on social media, admitting his error.

He wrote:

I need to make a statement.

This morning on CNN I referred to Trump’s “rifles” quote as him advocating a “firing squad” for Liz Cheney. I was reacting in haste to what were objectively appalling and irresponsible comments that had been framed in the set-up piece in the context of previous statements Trump made about shooting protestors and having generals “executed.” Still, I was wrong to say he was calling for a firing squad execution.

After I said that, my co-panelist, Brad Todd made the case that I was wrong. Brad was right and, again, I was wrong. Trump was making – albeit in his customary fashion – a different argument about Cheney’s alleged foreign policy views and the use of force. I let my disgust at Trump’s comments get the better of me as this was the first time I’d heard them.

In fact, at the end of the program, having thought about it, I said as much (though I could have been clearer). A fact that has been left out in a lot of the criticism of me since this morning.

In other words, I voluntarily conceded the point, unprompted, before any of this subsequent criticism came my way. (You can find it around the 2:20 mark in the video below).

I regret the initial comment because it was inaccurate and contributed to the kind of overheated environment Trump thrives on.

Trump’s words were bad enough.

But it’s worth noting that a lot of the criticism about my inaccuracy is itself somewhat inaccurate, or at least incomplete, given my correction.

Goldberg also indicated his ongoing aversion to Trump in an op-ed Wednesday, clarifying that while he would not vote for Trump, he might even support Kamala Harris if he were in a swing state rather than the District of Columbia.

I need to make a statement.

This morning on CNN I referred to Trump’s “rifles” quote as him advocating a “firing squad” for Liz Cheney. I was reacting in haste to what were objectively appalling and irresponsible comments that had been framed in the set-up piece in the context…

— Jonah Goldberg (@JonahDispatch) November 1, 2024

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