The CNN host made the comment in response to a speech Trump gave at the Department of Justice on Friday, where he slammed the 'weaponized' criminal cases that were brought against him in recent years. 

Trump railed against 'the lies and abuses' that allowed him to be previously charged with federal crimes, including his alleged storage of classified government documents at Mar-a-Lago and attempts to overturn his 2020 election loss. 

'(The DOJ) weaponized the vast powers of our intelligence and law enforcement agencies to try to thwart the will of the American people,' he said. 

After airing the clip, Tapper defended the president's remarks as he said such cases - also including Trump's conviction on charges of falsifying business records in New York - were built upon 'legitimate grievances.' 

'You don't have to be a member of MAGA to say, 'You know what those Peter Strzok-Lisa Page texts were awful,' Tapper said. 

'There was a FISA abuse. There was that weird thing with Carter Page... I don't know about that Alvin Bragg case where he, like, basically invented a felony.

'You don't have to be a member of MAGA to look and say, 'You know what? He does have some legitimate grievances.' 

After Tapper justified Trump's remarks at the DOJ, CNN political commentator Xochitl Hinojosa disagreed as she defended former Attorney General under President Biden, Merrick Garland. 

'Merrick Garland was a judge, he was a long career prosecutor,' she said. 

'He did everything to follow the facts and the law and allow that to happen. And it was a special counsel matter where Merrick Garland wasn't making the decisions. 

'What I'll say even further, there is a (grand) jury in both Florida and D.C. that believed that there is enough evidence for Donald Trump to be indicted… on 44 counts. 

'And this isn't just some conspiracy theory. There was no weaponization. The federal government believes that Donald Trump committed crimes.' 

Tapper responded to clarify that he was referring to Trump's conviction in New York and allegations that he colluded with Russia during his first term, and not the cases that Xochitl mentioned.