{"id":537379,"date":"2026-01-23T16:18:09","date_gmt":"2026-01-23T16:18:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/537379\/"},"modified":"2026-01-23T16:18:09","modified_gmt":"2026-01-23T16:18:09","slug":"cnn-anchor-gives-side-eye-during-trump-supporters-davos-defense","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/537379\/","title":{"rendered":"CNN Anchor Gives Side-Eye During Trump Supporter’s Davos Defense"},"content":{"rendered":"

CNN<\/a> anchor Abby Phillip<\/a> admitted being at a loss for words Wednesday during an on-air discussion over the implications of President Donald Trump<\/a> repeatedly confusing Iceland and Greenland. <\/p>\n

Trump made the eyebrow-raising gaffe four times<\/a> during a 72-minute speech Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. That evening, Phillip led a panel discussion about the president\u2019s headline-making remarks on \u201cCNN NewsNight,\u201d where she found herself engaged in a heated debate with author and journalist Batya Ungar-Sargon<\/a>, who hosts the NewsNation talk show, \u201cBatya.\u201d <\/p>\n

Ungar-Sargon, an outspoken supporter<\/a> of Trump, acknowledged the mistakes in the president\u2019s speech but suggested his executive actions on foreign policy were worthy of praise. <\/p>\n

\n

Ungar-Sargon: The fact that he cannot be bothered to pronounce it correctly doesn’t mean that the record isn’t there. It doesn’t mean that he didn’t actually bring $18 trillion <\/p>\n

Phillip: The WH’s own website says it was $9.6 trillion. Even his own administration is saying that\u2026 pic.twitter.com\/4eGHuDJM4h<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Acyn (@Acyn) January 22, 2026<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

\u201cHe messed up. He called it Iceland,\u201d she said. \u201cI\u2019ve never once heard him say the word \u2018Azerbaijan\u2019 correctly, but that doesn\u2019t mean that he did not bring peace between Armenia and Azerbaijan. Like, the fact that he cannot be bothered to pronounce it correctly doesn\u2019t mean that the record isn\u2019t there.\u201d<\/p>\n

Though others on the panel began to react to Ungar-Sargon\u2019s remarks with laughter, she continued: \u201cIt doesn\u2019t mean that he didn\u2019t cut our deficit by 20% in one year. It doesn\u2019t mean that he didn\u2019t actually bring $18 trillion committed.\u201d <\/p>\n

Ungar-Sargon was, of course, reiterating Trump\u2019s claim<\/a> that the U.S. has \u201csecured a record-breaking $18 trillion in commitments for new investments.\u201d As Phillip quickly pointed out, however, this figure conflicts with the $9.6 trillion<\/a> that appears on the White House\u2019s website.<\/p>\n

Still, Ungar-Sargon did not relent. \u201cThat\u2019s the website,\u201d she replied. <\/p>\n

At that point, Phillip shot Ungar-Sargon some epic side-eye before noting, \u201cI don\u2019t know what to say.\u201d <\/p>\n

Trump\u2019s Davos speech was closely watched around the world given his recent threats to take over Greenland<\/a>, which have led to a spike in tensions<\/a> between the U.S. and Europe. <\/p>\n

Not surprisingly, the remarks were widely panned<\/a> by media outlets and Democratic lawmakers like California Gov. Gavin Newsom. Appearing on Fox News<\/a> Wednesday, however, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt insisted the reaction<\/a> to the speech had been overwhelmingly positive. <\/p>\n

\u201cI was in the room,\u201d she said. \u201cIt has rave reviews, because the President just tells it like it is.\u201d <\/p>\n