Rick Santorum says 'cancel culture' is why CNN fired him after he made dismissive comments about Native Americans: 'I told the truth here'

• Rick Santorum spoke out about CNN cutting ties with him over his disparaging comments about Native Americans.
• Santorum called the move "a little disappointing" during a Fox News interview on Monday.
• He also blamed "cancel culture" and criticized what he described as "intolerance of the left."

Rick Santorum made his first television appearance on Fox News on Monday night after being fired by CNN as a political commentator following his comments about Native American culture.

Santorum, who had been with CNN for over four years and provided a conservative viewpoint on the channel, talked to Sean Hannity about his departure and called the move "a little disappointing."

"What I said was not at all disparaging toward Native Americans," Santorum said. "What I was talking about is the founding of the United States of America. Native Americans did not have a role in the founding of our country."

Santorum, a former GOP senator from Pennsylvania, sparked controversy last month while discussing the founding of the United States during a speech to a conservative youth organization.

"We birthed a nation from nothing. I mean, there was nothing here. I mean, yes, we have Native Americans," he said at the time, adding: "There isn't much Native American culture in American culture."

Critics accused him of overlooking the role of Native Americans in the US and downplaying the atrocities committed against them. Santorum then attempted to defend himself and walked back his statements during an interview on CNN, claiming he "misspoke."

"I was not trying to dismiss Native Americans," he said on "Cuomo Prime Time." "In fact, I mentioned them because yes, they were here, and they did have an impact, in fact, in this country."

Santorum was widely criticized for his response and several indigenous-led groups continued to call for his ouster from CNN. A senior executive at the network told the Huffington Post that Santorum "blew it" with his explanation.

"Leadership wasn't particularly satisfied with that appearance," the executive said. "None of the anchors wanted to book him. So he was essentially benched anyway."

CNN terminated its contract with Santorum last week, the Huffington Post reported on Saturday.

On Monday, Santorum condemned "cancel culture" and what he described as "intolerance of the left."

"One of the things I'm concerned about is that you get savaged by telling the truth," Santorum told Fox News. "And I told the truth here."

Santorum gave some credit to CNN for keeping him on over the years and granting him the opportunity to speak on behalf of conservatives, even as the network had long faced external pressure to let him go.