Jake Tapper’s apology to Lara Trump comes too late to undo the damage

In recent days, CNN anchor Jake Tapper publicly apologized to Lara Trump for dismissing her concerns last fall about then-President Joe Biden’s mental fitness, but Lara Trump and her supporters say the apology, while appreciated, is too late to undo the harm that has already been done to the country.

The exchange between Tapper and Lara Trump has become a symbol of the broader issue of how mainstream media and Democrats ignored or downplayed serious questions about Biden’s cognitive health in the final months of his presidency, a period many now see as critically important for America’s future.

Lara Trump, daughter-in-law of former President Donald Trump and a prominent figure in Republican circles, addressed the apology during an appearance on Fox News’s “The Ingraham Angle” on Tuesday.

She revealed that Tapper had reached out to her about two months ago ahead of his new book release, which deals with the failed reelection bid of President Biden.

During their phone conversation, Tapper acknowledged that he had initially dismissed Lara’s concerns in their 2024 interview but planned to publicly admit he was wrong when the book came out.

“Jake Tapper called me about two months ago, actually,” Lara said on air. “He said, I have this book coming out. And I know everybody is saying that I should apologize to you.

He said his plan was, ‘whenever the book comes out, to go on TV and I will say you were right and I was wrong.’ And I guess to Jake’s credit, he did that.”

Despite the acknowledgment, Lara Trump made it clear that the apology felt insufficient because the consequences of media and political leaders turning a blind eye to Biden’s apparent decline were already irreversible.

“The damage was already done,” she said. “We were so close to something so dangerous happening to this country.” She referenced the gravity of the situation and noted how Tapper himself had compared the unfolding scandal to Watergate.

“Jake Tapper saying that this is like a Watergate-level type of situation, now that he played a role in it, it feels a little bit too late to me,” Lara said, while also expressing appreciation for Tapper’s follow-through on his word to publicly admit his error.

The roots of the controversy trace back to a fall 2024 interview in which Tapper appeared to dismiss Lara Trump’s serious concerns about President Biden’s mental acuity.

At the time, Lara, then co-chair of President Trump’s reelection campaign, raised pointed questions about whether Biden was fit to hold office, but mainstream media largely rebuffed those concerns, labeling them as partisan attacks or conspiracy theories.

As the 2024 election cycle progressed, more and more Americans—particularly Trump supporters and conservatives—became convinced that Biden’s cognitive decline was being willfully ignored or covered up by media outlets.

The interview between Tapper and Lara Trump became emblematic of that larger pattern of dismissal and denial, further fueling mistrust in media institutions.

In recent interviews promoting his book about Biden’s failed reelection, Tapper has conceded that he underestimated Lara Trump’s insights. Last week, Tapper admitted, “She saw something I did not see, and I own that.”

This statement, however, did little to soothe those who believe the media failed the American people by not taking early warnings seriously.

Supporters of Donald Trump have rallied around Lara Trump’s statements and Tapper’s delayed admission as evidence of a broader media bias that deliberately shielded Biden from scrutiny.

For them, the apology is not just about Tapper; it symbolizes the broader media’s failure to hold Biden accountable during a critical period. Political analysts who support the former president note that the consequences of ignoring Biden’s mental state extend beyond political rivalry.

They argue that the country’s leadership in times of crisis depends on clear cognitive ability, and that sidelining those concerns was a dangerous gamble with the nation’s future.

Many Trump supporters contend that Lara Trump’s courageous willingness to speak out was a rare instance of truth-telling in an environment where dissenting voices were often silenced or ridiculed.

They credit her with helping awaken a significant portion of the electorate to what they see as a genuine threat to democratic norms and national security.

Moreover, conservatives point to the fact that mainstream media outlets, including CNN, have a track record of protecting Biden from tough questions, further eroding public trust. Tapper’s apology, though welcome, is viewed by many as a symbolic gesture rather than a turning point.

This controversy underscores the deep partisan divide over how the mental fitness of political leaders is discussed publicly. For Trump supporters, it is not merely about politics but about the survival of American democracy and the well-being of the nation.

Lara Trump’s experience also highlights the challenges faced by women in politics who dare to question powerful figures. Despite facing harsh criticism and media hostility, she remained steadfast in raising alarms about Biden’s condition, a stance that many on the right now praise as prescient.

Looking ahead, Lara Trump and her supporters hope that Tapper’s acknowledgment will prompt more honest conversations about the importance of mental acuity in leadership and the role of media in safeguarding democracy.

They call for greater media accountability and less partisanship in evaluating the fitness of those who hold the nation’s highest offices.

The saga serves as a cautionary tale about the dangers of political correctness and media complicity when it comes to assessing the capabilities of elected officials. Lara Trump’s persistence and Tapper’s belated admission both shine a light on a critical issue that transcends party lines but remains deeply divisive in American politics.

For now, Trump supporters remain resolute, viewing Lara Trump as a champion of truth who spoke up despite the odds and Tapper’s apology as a small but significant acknowledgment of a much larger failure.

The question that remains is whether the media will learn from this episode or continue down a path that alienates millions of Americans seeking honest and fearless journalism.

As Lara Trump herself said, the damage may be done, but the conversation must continue, for the sake of the country’s future and the integrity of its democratic institutions.