NEW YORK –

CNN says a right-wing commentator won’t be welcome on air after making a racist remark on “CNN NewsNight with Abby Phillip.”

On Monday’s prime-time show, after Muslim journalist Mehdi Hasan said he supported the Palestinians, conservative commentator Ryan Girdusky responded, “I hope your beeper doesn’t go off.” The comment referred to thousands of pager explosions in Lebanon targeting Hezbollah militants. CNN has learned that the attacks were carried out by Israel.

Hasan then asked Phillip, “Did your guest just say I should be killed on live TV?” Girdusky responded by falsely equating Palestinian support for Hasan with the terrorist group Hamas.

“It’s completely out of your pocket. You know that,” Phillip told Girdusky. Phillip apologized to viewers for his statements. Girdusky said he apologized because he believed Hasan had said he supported Hamas, a claim that Phillip and Hasan rejected.

Minutes later, when the show returned from a commercial break, Phillip addressed viewers and Hasan over the “completely unacceptable” comments made by Girdusky and he was removed from the show.

“There was a line crossed there and it’s not acceptable to me. This is not acceptable to us on this network. We want a debate. We want people who disagree to talk to each other. But when you cross the line into a complete lack of civility, that’s not going to happen here on this show,” Phillip said.

In a statement, CNN said there was “no place for racism or intolerance at CNN or on our airwaves” and that Girdusky “would not be welcome on our network.”

“We aim to foster thoughtful conversations and debate, including between people who deeply disagree with each other, to explore important issues and promote mutual understanding,” CNN said in its statement.

After the show, Girdusky posted to X: “Apparently you can’t go on CNN if you make a joke.” I’m glad America can see what CNN stands for.

The segment was intended to discuss the rhetoric at former President Donald Trump’s rally Sunday at Madison Square Garden, including a widely criticized joke made by comedian Tony Hinchcliffe at the event that called Puerto Rico “trash “. After the rally, Trump’s campaign sought to distance itself from Hinchcliffe and his comments.

“This joke does not reflect the views of President Trump or the campaign,” Trump campaign spokesperson Danielle Alvarez said in a statement to CNN.