CNN political commentator Angela Rye called for reparations during a heated discussion with Donald Trump supporter Carl Higbie on air Tuesday afternoon.
Rye and Higbie were discussing whether the two major political parties are dividing the country when the segment on CNN's At This Hour went off the rails and turned into a debate over slavery and reparations.
Higbie, a former Navy SEAL and conservative pundit, started by commenting on how New York City's skyline represents Donald Trump's accomplishments and how every other American wants to achieve the same thing. He added that the Democratic Party wants to keep Americans dependent on the government.
Rye, the former executive director of the Congressional Black Caucus, became visibly angry at Higbie's statement.
Rye claimed that Trump achieved his success off the backs of "poor people."
The conversation started to skew away from the subject when Rye said, "Part of the real issue here, Carl, is the fact that he won't denounce white supremacy."
"The very people who you're talking about who you think are looking for free gifts and handouts are people who have been disenfranchised since they got off the slave ship in this country, and until you recognize that and pay for that, we're going to continue to–," Rye said before Higbie cut her off.
"Now we're going to pay for it?" Higbie asked in shock.
"Oh yeah," Rye responded. "There should be reparations."
"That is the most ridiculous un-American statement I've ever heard," Higbie said.
"Oh, there's nothing un-American about reparations," Rye answered.
Berman then jumped into the conversation to stop the argument.