Anderson Cooper says CNN viewers ‘have every right to never watch this network again’ after Trump town hall

CNN vet Anderson Cooper called the network’s May 10 presidential town hall event with Donald Trump “disturbing,” and told viewers that they “have every right to be angry and never watch this network again.”

“Many of you think CNN shouldn’t have given him any platform to speak and I understand the anger about that — giving him the audience, the time, I get that,” Cooper said during the opening monologue of his CNN show “Anderson Cooper 360°.”

However, “the man you were so disturbed to see and hear from last night — that man is the frontrunner for the Republican nomination for president,” Cooper said, defending the network’s decision to give Trump a platform.

“According to polling, no other Republican is even close,” Cooper said. According to the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) straw poll, Trump’s the preferred candidate for 62% of right-wing voters — a wide margin above No. 2, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis, who had 20% support.

“Do you think staying in your silo and only listening to people you agree with is going to make that person go away?” Cooper continued.