CNN’s Jake Tapper Jacob (Jake) Paul TapperBiden's team says he views election against Trump as 'Park Avenue vs. Scranton' The spin on Woodward's tapes reveals the hypocrisy of Democrats Trump campaign defends first all-indoor rally in months MORE came under criticism Tuesday for retweeting a post from conservative George Conway George Thomas ConwayGeorge Conway hits Trump on 9/11 anniversary: 'The greatest threat to the safety and security of Americans' Susan Collins faces battle of lifetime in Maine Conway hails Trump as 'champion' of women MORE, a prominent critic of President Trump Donald John TrumpHR McMaster says president's policy to withdraw troops from Afghanistan is 'unwise' Cast of 'Parks and Rec' reunite for virtual town hall to address Wisconsin voters Biden says Trump should step down over coronavirus response MORE, that called the president “100% insane.”

The CNN anchor on Monday retweeted Conway's post, which said Trump “is 100% insane and nobody in the administration has the balls to tell him that.”

On Tuesday, Tapper retweeted it again while adding, “Noteworthy comment on folks in the administration from a Trump critic who knows a lot of them:”

ADVERTISEMENT

Noteworthy comment on folks in the administration from a Trump critic who knows a lot of them: https://t.co/ZvmMxmENuW — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 7, 2020

The retweets and comment drew criticism online, with some saying Tapper was supporting Conway's characterization of the president.

Tapper defended himself, saying it “seems newsworthy given how many people in the administration he knows.”

Conway is married to White House counsel Kellyanne Conway Kellyanne Elizabeth ConwayGeorge Conway hits Trump on 9/11 anniversary: 'The greatest threat to the safety and security of Americans' Juan Williams: Swamp creature at the White House Oversight Democrats press for probe into possible Hatch Act violations MORE.

ADVERTISEMENT

“I RTed Conway, a conservative attorney and Trump critic, because he wrote that no one in the administration has the courage to stand up to the president which seems newsworthy given how many people in the administration he knows,” Tapper tweeted. “RTs do not nec. = agreement.”

I RTed Conway, a conservative attorney and Trump critic, because he wrote that no one in the administration has the courage to stand up to the president which seems newsworthy given how many people in the administration he knows.



RTs do not nec. = agreement. https://t.co/A4i1478urj — Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) April 7, 2020

Among those who criticized Tapper was Johnathan Turley, the lone Republican witness during a House impeachment hearing last year.

Turley, a George Washington University law professor and an opinion contributor to The Hill, criticized the CNN anchor, saying his retweet “only further undermines the media by reaffirming for many that the media is campaigning against Trump rather than covering him.”

Some came to Tapper's defense, including New York magazine writer Jonathan Chait, who said Tapper “merely observed” Conway’s comments were “noteworthy.”

Tapper merely observed Conway calling Trump "100% insane" is "noteworthy. So the Trumpist position is that it's not even *noteworthy* that the spouse of a high-level WH official calls the president insane. https://t.co/WIcs3NfySg — Jonathan Chait (@jonathanchait) April 7, 2020

The Hill has reached out to CNN for comment.