In a startling CNN interview, a Sinaloa Cartel member expressed respect for President Donald Trump. The segment quickly backfired on CNN, as viewers accused the network of attempting to elicit anti-Trump statements. Did an anti-Trump interview accidentally turn pro-Trump?
CNN’s Controversial Cartel Interview Backfires
CNN correspondent Isobel Yeung recently interviewed a masked member of Mexico’s notorious Sinaloa Cartel in a secret hideout. The interview, which aired on the network, showed Yeung questioning the self-described fentanyl producer about President Donald Trump’s designation of Mexican drug cartels as foreign terrorist organizations.
“According to the Trump Administration, you are a terrorist… What do you make of that?” Yeung asked the disguised gang member. Rather than expressing outrage or criticism toward Trump, the cartel member offered unexpected praise, stating, “My respect. According to him, he’s looking out for his people.”
WATCH: CNN interviewed a Mexican cartel fentanyl maker & asked if he had a message for Trump.
The left hates the President so much they're literally cuddling up with terrorists. Wild. pic.twitter.com/WNf4cNtiyX
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) May 4, 2025
Cartel Member Defends Criminal Activities
During the interview, the masked cartel operative acknowledged the devastating impact of their operations while attempting to justify their actions. “Well, the situation is ugly, but we have to eat,” he stated when pressed about the deadly consequences of the drug trade that has claimed thousands of American lives through fentanyl overdoses.
The gangster also deflected blame, suggesting that American demand drives the drug problem. This narrative-shifting tactic appeared to assign responsibility to U.S. consumers rather than acknowledging the cartel’s role in manufacturing and trafficking deadly narcotics across the border.
Just when you thought that they cannot go any lower.
CNN is interviewing cartel members, and ask how they feel about being labeled terrorists.
You cannot make this crap up! pic.twitter.com/m3LrtNcF22
— Joel Fischer 🇺🇸 (@realJoelFischer) May 4, 2025
Social Media Erupts Over CNN’s Failed Narrative
The network faced immediate backlash on social media platforms after the interview aired, with viewers accusing CNN of attempting to generate anti-Trump soundbites. Critics pointed out the apparent journalistic failure when the cartel member expressed respect for Trump instead of the anticipated criticism, undermining what many perceived as the interview’s intended narrative.
Internet users criticized CNN for what they viewed as an attempt to humanize or sympathize with dangerous criminals responsible for America’s deadly fentanyl epidemic. The interview was widely characterized as a misguided effort to portray the cartel member as a victim of Trump’s policies rather than a perpetrator of violence and death.
Conservative commentators seized on the moment as evidence of media bias, suggesting that CNN’s questioning was designed to elicit negative statements about the president. The network’s decision to provide a platform to an active member of a criminal organization was also questioned on ethical grounds, with many wondering about the journalistic value of interviewing someone actively involved in manufacturing deadly narcotics.