CNN anchor Christiane Amanpour apologized for comparing President Donald Trump to the Nazis on November 13.
Amanpour acknowledged that she should not have juxtaposed the 82nd anniversary of Kristallnacht (Night of the Broken Glass) with the Trump administration.
“Hitler and his evils stand alone, of course, in history,” Amanpour said. “I regret any pain my statement may have caused. My point was to say how democracy can potentially slip away, and how we must always zealously guard our democratic values.”
Jewish groups thanked Amanpour for her apology.
“Exactly,” American Jewish Committee CEO David Harris wrote after tweeting out part of Amanpour’s apology. “Thank you, Christiane Amanpour.”
On air, CNN’s @camanpour apologized for linking her criticism of Trump administration w/ #Kristallnacht & #Holocaust.
She said: “I should not have juxtaposed the two thoughts.
Hitler and his evils stand alone, of course, in history…”Exactly. Thank you, Christiane Amanpour. https://t.co/VVy1vWREww
— David Harris (@DavidHarrisNY) November 17, 2020
StandWithUs CEO and co-founder Roz Rothstein, who is the daughter of Holocaust survivors, also tweeted, “Thank you @camanpour for your apology. It means a lot to so many of us. Your [sic] right, Hitler and the Holocaust stand alone in history and must not be compared to modern day things we are concerned about. We must be careful with our words.”
GOOD NEWS. Thank you @camanpour for your apology. It means a lot to so many of us. Your right, Hitler and the Holocaust stand alone in history and must not be compared to modern day things we are concerned about. We must be careful with our words. Again, thank you. https://t.co/iFw544SMjB
— Roz Rothstein (@RozRothstein) November 17, 2020
Others didn’t feel like the apology was sufficient.
“While she admitted that Trump isn’t as bad as Hitler, she said nothing about her complete Jew-washing of Kristallnacht,” Kiryas Joel School District Superintendent Joel M. Petlin tweeted. “The thousands of victims of the pogrom were only the Jews of Germany & Austria. Say it.”
Surprised by the @camanpour apology, yes. Satisfied by it, not so much.
While she admitted that Trump isn't as bad as Hitler, she said nothing about her complete Jew-washing of Kristallnacht. The thousands of victims of the pogrom were only the Jews of Germany & Austria. Say it.
— Joel M. Petlin (@Joelmpetlin) November 17, 2020
Shurat HaDin, the Israel-based law firm aimed at combating terrorist and protecting Jewish civil rights, also tweeted, “As usual, apologies come too weak and too late. Their reach much lower than the original offence.. @camanpour and @CNN are repeat offenders of misrepresenting Israel and the Jews.”
As usual, apologies come too weak and too late. Their reach much lower than the original offence.. @camanpour and @CNN are repeat offenders of misrepresenting Israel and the Jews. https://t.co/YKIiyfBfuG
— Shurat HaDin – שורת הדין (@ShuratHaDin) November 17, 2020
Amanpour’s initial remarks had drawn rebukes from the Israeli Ministry of Diaspora Affairs and the Anti-Defamation League, among others.
