CNN host Jake Tapper on Wednesday castigated Donald Trump for what he described as the president's provocative rhetoric, saying that Trump's behavior is "causing great concern" among the American people.
Tapper was concluding a segment on his show, "The Lead," in which he discussed, in part, concerns about Trump's competence to continue serving as president.
"This is a subject that I hear more and more on Capitol Hill, from Republicans as well as Democrats, in off the record whispers. They ask, does President Trump have the wherewithal to be president?" Tapper said.
"Not just is he able to channel the aspirations of uniting us, but, as Republican Senator [Bob] Corker asked, does he have the stability to be president? Does he have the competence to be president?" he continued.
Tapper was referring to comments made by Sen. Bob Corker (R., Tenn.) last week, when Corker suggested that he doubted Trump's "stability" and "competence."
Tapper then turned to a poll from Quinnipiac University, released Wednesday, which highlighted the public's disapproval of Trump.
"According to a new Quinnipiac University poll released this afternoon, voters overwhelmingly saying President Trump is not level-headed, 68 percent to 29 percent," Tapper said. "Voters saying President Trump does not provide the U.S. with moral leadership, 62 to 35 percent. That he's not honest, 61 to 36 percent. Voters believe by a two to one margin that President Trump is doing more to divide the country than to unite it, 62 to 31 percent. Nearly six in 10 voters say President Trump's decisions and behavior have encouraged white supremacist groups."
"Now President Trump is a man who looks to numbers and to ratings," Tapper said. "These numbers, sir, these numbers are disastrous."
"You are no doubt pleasing your base, but your behavior is causing great concern among the majority of the American people," he said.