Posted on June 9, 2017

CNN Drops ‘Believer’ Host Reza Aslan Days After He Called Donald Trump a ‘Piece of S***’

Jessica Chia, Daily Mail, June 9, 2017

CNN has dropped host Reza Aslan days after he called President Donald Trump a ‘piece of s***’ on Twitter.

‘CNN has decided to not move forward with production on the acquired series “Believer with Reza Aslan,”‘ the network said in a statement. ‘We wish Reza and his production team all the best.’

Aslan issued an apology on Sunday after he slammed Trump on Twitter for emphasizing the need for his travel ban in the wake of the London Bridge attacks.

Aslan called Trump a ‘piece of s***’ after the president responded to the London Bridge attacks by tweeting: ‘We need to be smart, vigilant and tough. We need the courts to give us back our rights. We need the Travel Ban as an extra level of safety!’

Aslan wrote: ‘This piece of shit is not just an embarrassment to America and a stain on the presidency. He’s an embarrassment to humankind.’

Reza Aslan Tweet

He later deleted the tweet and lamented his choice of words, writing: ‘When in the first few minutes of the terror attack in London, the President of the United States tweeted about his travel ban, I lost my cool and responded to him in a derogatory fashion.

‘That’s not like me. I should have used better language to express my shock and frustration at the president’s lack of decorum and sympathy for the victims of London. I apologize for my choice of words.’

CNN then made it clear that Aslan was a ‘host’ – not an employee – and responded by saying: ‘We are pleased that he has apologized for his tweets. That kind of discourse is never appropriate.’

Aslan traveled around the world looking at various religious traditions for his show on CNN, which premiered in March 2017 with six episodes in the first season.

He controversially ate human brain while filming with the Aghori, a Hindu cannibal sect in India, provoking horror and dismay from many viewers who were upset with his portrayal of Hinduism.

Tulsi Gabbard, the only Hindu in Congress, tweeted: ‘I am very disturbed that CNN is using its power and influence to increase people’s misunderstanding and fear of Hinduism.’

This isn’t the first time CNN has dropped talent due to controversies regarding Trump.

The network fired comedian Kathy Griffin from her New Year’s Eve co-hosting gig after she held what resembled Trump’s bloody head for a shocking photo shoot that emerged on social media.