Jake Tapper slams Trump for 'flouting basic decency' — and calls out GOP's 'crickets'

CNN host Jake Tapper took several minutes out of his Thursday show to condemn President Donald Trump's behavior, and questioned his mental health. He also chided Republicans for remaining largely silent.

Tapper began his monologue by breaking down how the president spent much of his Wednesday address telling "lies" that had already been proven wrong repeatedly. But he later pivoted to asking his audience if they thought Trump would be delivering a "random primetime, pre-Christmas, rambling hype speech" if he thought he was "winning politically," and noted that many conservatives — like RedState founder Erick Erickson – were "underwhelmed."

"[Trump's] fans were not as enthusiastic about the speech," Tapper said. "They need an incentive to vote GOP and they didn't get it."

The CNN host argued that Trump's speech was far from the only concerning thing the president did this week, asserting that Trump's insult of acclaimed actor-director Rob Reiner after he and his wife Michele were murdered last weekend was also beyond the pale. Tapper lamented that Trump took a tragic event and "crassly made it about himself."

"Look, let's just call it as it is: That is not how a normal, mentally healthy person responds to news of a horrific tragedy," the CNN host said. "Trump's remarks on Reiner did draw a widespread bipartisan criticism, including from some of his biggest fans. But Trump still stood by his remarks later that day."

Tapper also acknowledged that Trump added plaques to his West Wing exhibit of past presidents, and that the plaques including insulting language about former Presidents Barack Obama and Joe Biden. He likened the president's behavior toward Obama and Biden to the movie "Mean Girls," when Lindsay Lohan's character added photos of girls she hated to her "burn book."

"These insults were put on plaques and hung on the wall of the White House — as conservative commentator Guy Benson tweeted — 'petty and ridiculous.' Again, these are conservative, Trump-voting commentators," Tapper said. "This behavior is not normal. Not in a mayor, not in a governor, not in your boss, not in your mom or your dad or your friend."

"Never before in the history of our country have we had a president who acted this way," he continued. "The president has been flouting the hallmarks of basic decency. And while there have been a few of his supporters and a few members of his party — and some in the conservative media — willing to call him out on some of this, for the most part, let's be honest. It's been crickets. There appears to be no one in his White House or the Trump administration willing to say anything to him."

Watch the segment below:

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