Radio host Charlamagne tha God walked off CNN’s special election night coverage, apparently because he needed to get to bed before his early start on Wednesday.
The network had used the radio host to plug its exclusive livecast, part of CNN’s Election Night 2025 coverage, but the subscriber-only broadcast was upended when Charlamagne decided he needed to get some sleep.
Harry Enten, simulcast moderator and the network’s data guru, said the Breakfast Club host had to call it quits “because he has to get up early to host his radio show,” according to The Wrap’s media reporter Corbin Bolies. The Status newsletter also reported on the walk-out.
Charlamagne’s breakfast show is broadcast live on weekdays from 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. Eastern Time.
CNN’s two-hour special, scheduled from 8:30 p.m. to 10:30 p.m., featured Charlamagne alongside conservative podcasting powerhouse Ben Shapiro, “The Young Turks” host Ana Kasparian, and tech journalist Kara Swisher.
The relaxed, conversational coverage ran alongside CNN’s traditional offerings. It is unclear if CNN knew Charlamagne would tap out. The Daily Beast has reached out to the network for comment.
Charlamagne provided several hot takes before he tapped out. Questioning why Democrats point out President Trump’s declining job approval numbers, he said, “Why do people talk about Trump like he’s gone by the wayside? They’re having conversations about him running in 2028! He’s got all the power right now!”
He added, “Who cares about popularity when you have all the power now?”
Elsewhere, Shapiro foresaw more calls for impeaching Trump and more investigations into him. Noting that he finds Democratic calls for Trump’s head “performative.” He added, “It hasn’t worked. What’s the point of that?”
The host also claimed that Zohran Mamdani’s win in the New York mayoral race came from taking a page out of President Trump’s playbook. “Why are we acting like Mamdani’s messaging was that far from Trump, because Trump did the same thing, right?” Charlamagne said.
“Trump said, ‘I won the election with one word: groceries,‘ right? And Trump said ‘I’m gonna put more money in your pocket.’ Trump said ‘I’m gonna keep you safe.’ That’s how he won the election. That’s how Mamdani got New York excited, right?” he continued.
“I think sometimes we complicate politics. People want two things in this country: they want more money in their pockets, and they want to feel safe. Whoever can make them feel like they’re going to put more money in their pocket and make them feel like they’re going to be safe, they’re always going to win.”
Mamdani beat former governor Andrew Cuomo and Republican candidate Curtis Sliwa to become the next mayor of New York City.
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