CNBC’s Kernen Defends Trump in Clash With Sorkin Over Rape Claim: ‘Don’t You Think You Should Be More Careful?’

CNBC hosts Joe Kernen and Andrew Ross Sorkin clashed over former President Donald Trump being found liable in a civil case of sexually assaulting and defaming writer E. Jean Carroll .

On Tuesday’s Squawk Box , Kevin McCarthy joined the table and during a discussion on Trump, Sorkin referred to the former president being being “found to” have raped Carroll.

Kernen jumped in to say Trump was not convicted. The jury in his trial stopped short of saying he was guilty of rape, though the judge presiding over the case called it a legal distinction , making clear he was found by the New York jury to have abused Carroll as part of the defamation case.

“Donald Trump was not convicted of rape in the case involving E Jean Carroll. A New York jury found him liable for sexually abusing Carroll and defaming her,” Kernen said.

“Is that a good person or a bad person?” Sorkin asked.

“Don’t you think you should be more careful if you say someone was convicted of rape?” Kernen asked.

Sorkin clarified that he did not say “convicted.”

“I didn’t say the word convicted, I said found to, found to. That’s the language,” he said.

“But Andrew,” Kernen said as the table devolved into crosstalk.

“But you don’t get anywhere with 50% of the country, they still —” Kernen eventually said, referring to Trump supporters.

“They don’t believe judges!” Sorkin shot back.

“I guess not! They’ve litigated through this and still decided to support him,” Kernen said.

“Apparently, and I’m —” Sorkin said before Kernen jumped back in.

“You’re not smarter or a better person than them because of that,” Kernen said.

“I don’t know. Maybe I am,” Sorkin responded.

“I know you think that,” Kernen said.

McCarthy jumped in to say the disagreement is indicative of how divided the country is. He argued voters are distracted from real issues like the national debt, and Sorkin argued both Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris have failed to put forth specific economic plans.

“Respectfully, both of your positions — my point I’m making is this is the point America is at,” McCarthy said.

Watch above via CNBC .