Well…that was something.

During a CNN panel discussion this afternoon on the rising tensions with North Korea, two conservative political commentators absolutely went at it over President Donald Trump’s provocative “fire and fury” comments yesterday.

Right off the bat, Republican strategist Rick Wilson set the tone by unleashing on talk radio host and CNN contributor Ben Ferguson. After Ferguson justified Trump’s remarks, stating the president was letting North Korea know it was a “new day,” Wilson straight up insulted Ferguson’s intelligence.

“Ben’s answer to you betrays a level of naïveté about nuclear weapons and about the Korean peninsula in specific that is utterly staggering,” Wilson told anchor Brooke Baldwin. “That is some weapons grade stupidity right there.”

And off they went. Wilson continued to hammer away at the use of the term “fire and fury,” pointing out that it sent a signal the US would use overwhelming force, while Ferguson kept responding that Wilson seemed to be claiming that Trump’s statement was nukes or bust.

For roughly ten minutes, the two men kept going back and forth, with Ferguson stating that the previous administrations’ attempts at diplomacy had failed and Trump needs to take a tougher approach. Meanwhile, Wilson attempted to explain how the president needed to move this into a deterrence frame, which would not include a preemptive strike.

As Baldwin wrapped up the segment, Wilson got in a parting shot at Ferguson.

“You are unbelievably irresponsible and ignorant of the Korean peninsula — it’s just astounding,” the anti-Trump conservative exclaimed.

Watch the clip above, via CNN.

[image via screengrab]

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Follow Justin Baragona on Twitter: @justinbaragona

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