CNN's Jake Tapper rips the White House for tolerating top aide accused of domestic abuse
White House Staff Secretary Rob Porter resigned Wednesday, after reports surfaced that he had physically abused two of his ex-wives. Porter denied the allegations — detailed by ex-wives Colbie Holderness and Jennifer Willoughby to the Daily Mail and The Intercept this week — but resigned anyway, saying he "will not further engage publicly with a coordinated smear campaign."
As Porter's resignation rippled through Washington, the White House defended their man. White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders called Porter "someone of the highest integrity and exemplary character," while Chief of Staff John Kelly said Porter was "a friend, a confidante, and a trusted professional."
This was a line too far for CNN's Jake Tapper, who opened Wednesday's The Lead with a pointed message. "There are basic lines of decency," Tapper said, "and we continue to see [President Trump's] presidency eroding these lines."
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Invoking Trump's defense of some white nationalists at a rally in Virginia last year as "very fine people," as well as the president's endorsement of former Senate candidate Roy Moore, who was credibly accused of sexual assault of minors, Tapper questioned the administration's moral compass: "To this list … the White House has now added someone accused by two ex-wives of spousal abuse."
Tapper said the White House's defense of Porter was just "a further erosion of standards of what I thought we'd all agreed was not okay, not acceptable, not moral." He continued: "The White House is sadly no longer considered a place of the highest standards in the land, but rather a place where our national standards are being degraded."
Watch below. Kelly O'Meara Morales
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Kelly O'Meara Morales is a staff writer at The Week. He graduated from Sarah Lawrence College and studied Middle Eastern history and nonfiction writing amongst other esoteric subjects. When not compulsively checking Twitter, he writes and records music, subsists on tacos, and watches basketball.
-
Geoff Capes obituary: shot-putter who became the World’s Strongest Man
In the Spotlight The 'mighty figure' was a two-time Commonwealth Champion and world-record holder
By The Week UK Published
-
Israel attacks Iran: a 'limited' retaliation
Talking Point Iran's humiliated leaders must decide how to respond to Netanyahu's measured strike
By The Week UK Published
-
Crossword: November 2, 2024
The Week's daily crossword puzzle
By The Week Staff Published
-
Laurence Fox suspended by GB News after 'unacceptable' Ava Evans comments
Speed Read Broadcaster issues apology after actor goes on a tirade during a live interview with Dan Wootton
By Arion McNicoll, The Week UK Published
-
Fox News apologizes to Gold Star family for false story Marine Corps called 'disgusting'
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Tucker Carlson Tonight is being replaced by Fox News Tonight
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Judge delays Fox News-Dominion defamation trial start, reportedly to allow settlement talks
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Judge orders Dominion lawsuit against Fox News to go to trial
Speed Read
By Justin Klawans Published
-
Fox News seeks gag order for producer who claims she was coerced to mislead in Dominion deposition
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published
-
Lawsuit documents: After 2020 election, Tucker Carlson said he hates Trump 'passionately'
Speed Read
By Catherine Garcia Published
-
Rupert Murdoch gave Jared Kushner 'confidential information' on Biden ads, debate strategy, Dominion says
Speed Read
By Peter Weber Published