CNN Cuts Ties With Reza Aslan Over Profanity-Laden Trump Tweet

CNN will not be moving forward with the series "Believer" with host and religious scholar Reza Aslan, Variety reported Friday.

In a statement to Variety, the network said it would not be moving forward with the series about religion.

"We wish Reza and his production team all the best," the statement read.

Aslan had recently come under fire for a tweet last week where he referred to President Donald Trump as a "piece of (expletive)." He made the comments in the wake of remarks Trump made about the recent terror attack in London where he used the attack to call on the courts to reinstate his travel ban. Brian Stelter, CNN's media reporter, said the network decided to break off production after Aslan's profanity-laden tweet.

Aslan later apologized for his use of profanity and deleted the tweet. In his apology, Aslan said he should have used better language to "express his shock" at Trump's response.

In an earlier tweet, dated May 9, Aslan had used the same profanity to describe the president.

Aslan issued a statement, thanking CNN for the platform and said that he understands the network's need to protect its brand as an unbiased news source while he needs to honor his voice as a social commentator and a scholar. He said he agreed with CNN that it was best to part ways.

CNN also recently cut ties with Kathy Griffin, the longtime host for the network's New Year's Eve coverage. The network cut ties with Griffin following a controversial photo shoot where she held a bloodied head that was meant to resemble Trump.

While Aslan came under intense fire for his tweet, many have come to his defense after he was fired, including conservatives.

Fox News host Sean Hannity, an unabashed supporter of the president and mainstream media critic, tweeted that he doesn't think Aslan should be fired.

Seth Mandel, an op-ed editor at the New York Post, also disagreed with the network cutting ties with Aslan.

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