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Kathy Griffin Fired by CNN Over Gruesome Photo of Trump

CNN said Kathy Griffin would no longer co-host its New Year's Eve coverage after she caused outrage over an image of her holding a fake bloodied Trump head.
Image: Kathy Griffin
FILE - In this May 5, 2017 file photo, Kathy Griffin attends the 24th Annual Race to Erase MS Gala in Beverly Hills, Calif. Griffin's video holding what was meant to look like President Donald Trump's severed head, has resulted in a lost endorsement deal and at least one club engagement for the comedian. Griffin has apologized, conceding that the brief video, which she originally described as an "artsy fartsy statement" mocking the commander in chief, was "too disturbing" and wasn't funny. (Photo by Richard Shotwell/Invision/AP, File)Richard Shotwell / AP

CNN ended its deal with Kathy Griffin after she caused outrage over a video clip she posted showing her holding a fake decapitated head made to look like President Donald Trump.

The news network announced the decision in a tweet from its Communications Department.

"CNN has terminated our agreement with Kathy Griffin to appear on our New Year's Eve program," the tweet reads.

Griffin has hosted CNN's New Year's Eve coverage with network anchor Anderson Cooper since 2007.

On Tuesday, Griffin posted a short video clip on Twitter of herself lifting a bloodied head that appeared to resemble Trump. She wrote in a follow up tweet that she doesn't condone violence, and was "merely mocking the Mocker in Chief."

Both tweets have since been deleted.

After the image began circulating online, Cooper tweeted that he did not condone the image or find it tasteful.

"For the record, I am appalled by the photo shoot Kathy Griffin took part in. It is clearly disgusting and completely inappropriate," Cooper wrote.

Related: President Trump Scolds Kathy Griffin: She ‘Should Be Ashamed’

By Wednesday morning, Trump said it was upsetting his children.

"Kathy Griffin should be ashamed of herself. My children, especially my 11 year old son, Barron, are having a hard time with this. Sick!" Trump tweeted.

First lady Melania Trump also called the photo "very disturbing."

"As a mother, a wife, and a human being, that photo is very disturbing," she said. "When you consider some of the atrocities happening in the world today, a photo opportunity like this is simply wrong and makes you wonder about the mental health of the person who did it."

In a statement made before her termination, CNN said it found Griffin's actions "disgusting and offensive," and mentioned it was evaluating its New Year's Eve coverage.

Griffin apologized in a video posted Tuesday night, in which she admits she took the joke too far.

"I sincerely apologize. I'm just now seeing the reaction of these images. I'm a comic. I crossed the line. I move the line, then I cross it. I went way too far," Griffin said.