CNN’s Don Lemon knocks Trump while praising Justin Trudeau’s apology over brownface photo

CNN anchor Don Lemon squeezed in a swipe of President Trump while praising Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau for his handling of the brownface photo controversy that emerged Wednesday night.

Trudeau apologized after a 2001 photo emerged in a Time magazine report showing him wearing brownface makeup to an “Arabian Nights” party at the private school where he was teaching.

“I shouldn’t have done that. I should have known better, but I didn’t and I’m really sorry,” Trudeau told reporters. “I take responsibility for my decision to do that. I shouldn’t have done that. I should’ve known better. It was something that I didn’t think was racist at the time but now I recognize that it was something racist to do and I’m deeply sorry.”

CANADIAN PM JUSTIN TRUDEAU ADMITS TO WEARING BROWNFACE IN 2001 PHOTO, APOLOGIZES

Lemon expressed his pleasant shock that a “leader” would apologize and knocked the U.S. leader in the process.

“Wow, a leader apologizing. It seems odd, doesn’t it?” Lemon reacted. “Because we have one who doesn’t.”

The CNN panel also offered a defense for Trudeau, with commentators stressing that “context matters” and stressed that Trudeau’s photo was vastly different from Democratic Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam’s 1986 blackface photo.

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Before wrapping up the segment, however, Lemon reiterated his praise for Trudeau.

“I do have to say this before we go: think about it however you want to think about it. When someone apologizes- wow!” Lemon said to the panel. “We don’t often see that here, especially in a world leader who is saying ‘I should’ve known better and I’m sorry.’ You can feel about it however you want, but that, to me, that does mean a lot.”

Fox News’ Morgan Phillips contributed to this report.