CNN’s Chris Cuomo was on the receiving end of blistering criticism on Wednesday after an ambiguous comment he made on Twitter toward a rape victim.
Cuomo’s tweet was aimed at Kim Corban, who was raped in 2006 when she was 20 years old after a man broke into her apartment and sexually assaulted her for approximately two hours. In a 2016 report, The Washington Post noted how Corban has “struggled with depression, PTSD and stress-related seizures” as a result of the attack.
Corban appeared in an ad video for the National Rifle Association (NRA) where she discussed the importance of owning firearms.
“I’m a mother of two, and if a predator or anyone else tries to harm me or my family, they have to come through my firearm first,” Corban said.
Shortly after the video came out, Cuomo tweeted: “Only in America.”
Corban immediately responded to Cuomo’s comment, tweeting: “Hi @ChrisCuomo. Looks like you forgot to tag me. Care to chat about this?”
Cuomo’s remarks were quickly met with criticism online, as he had not clarified what exactly he meant for three hours after leaving up his tweet.
Ben Howe noted that Corban and “her husband were recently the targets of an assassination plot by white supremacists up on (among other things) illegal gun charges of which her husband was the prosecutor.”
Stephen Miller tweeted: “You should probably take a moment and google who Kim Corban is, Chaplinksy.”
Dana Loesch tweeted: “Not sure what you mean by this. ‘Only in America’ can a rape survivor protect herself and her family against any future threat? This is bad how?”
Steven Crowder tweeted: “Man mocks rape survivor who protects her children with firearm… Only on CNN.”
Steve Krakauer tweeted: “Only in America can a woman be raped and held captive for hours, tell her story, and subsequently be snark-tweeted by a CNN anchor so blinded by his own political agenda he can’t display basic humanity.”
Jarrett Stepman tweeted: “Yes, in America we preserve the right for women (in this case a rape survivor) to defend themselves and their families. God bless America.”
Jason Howerton tweeted: “Only in America…. news anchors are triggered by a woman defending her family?”
Jeryl Bier tweeted: “If only America were more like those other countries where women (and men) are largely defenseless against violent criminals, @ChrisCuomo? I mean, decry the violence in America, but is a mother defending her children from harm really the place to start?”
Tiana Lowe tweeted: “Yes, only in America can a rape survivor & activist empower women to defend themselves with our Second Amendment rights. @Kimberly_Corban is a national treasure, and you should really, really rethink this, Chris.”
Chad Felix Greene tweeted: “Can a woman defend herself and her family from a predator? Well yes, Chris. That’s the point of liberty.”
Arthur Schwartz tweeted: “Sounds like @ChrisCuomo would prefer that nothing stand between a predator and his/her victims.”
Rob Eno tweeted: “Only in America would a @CNNPR host quote tweet a woman’s story of her rape with ‘Only in America.'”
Curtis Houck tweeted: “Google who @Kimberly_Corban is and she’s more of a fighter with more strength than you could ever dream of having. But keep puffing your chest as holier than thou judge.”
Janice Dean tweeted: “You might want explain this tweet a little better to those of us who’ve actually had to face predators in our own homes and defend ourselves without a big strong man like yourself?”
Sean Davis tweeted: “A CNN anchor is mocking a rape survivor for her views on the 2nd Amendment.”