Trump Press Secretary Goes Off On CNN For Asking About Hegseth Claim - Deadline

Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt‘s first briefing since the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran had several moments of tension with the news media, but one moment stood out.

CNN’s Kaitlan Collins asked Leavitt about Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth‘s comments earlier on Wednesday, when he complained that the media spotlight on tragic U.S. military events during the attacks is “front page news. I get it. The press only wants to make the president look bad. But try for once to report the reality. The terms of this war will be set by us at every step.” So far, six service members have been killed since Operation Epic Fury was launched.

At the briefing, Collins asked, “Is it the position of this administration that the press should not prominently cover the deaths of U.S. service members?”

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Leavitt responded, “No, it’s the position of this administration that the press in this room and the press across the country should accurately report on the success of Operation Epic Fury and the damage it is doing to the rogue Iranian regime that has threatened the lives of every single American in this room. If the Iranian regime had their choice, they would kill every single person in this room. And so we can all be very grateful that we have an administration and that we have men and women in our armed forces who are willing to sacrifice their own lives for the rest of us in this room and for every American across the country and for every troop that is based in the Middle East.

Collins then said that Hegseth “was complaining that it was front page news about these six service members who were killed.”

Leavitt then insisted, “That’s not what the Secretary said, Caitlin, and that’s not what the Secretary meant. And you know it, you know you’re being disingenuous.”

Then Collins read Hegseth’s comment.

Leavitt replied, “The press* does* only want to make the president look bad. That’s a fact. Listen to me, especially you, and especially CNN, and the secretary of defense, cares deeply about our war fighters and our men and women in uniform. He travels all across this country to meet with them, to connect with them. And your network has hardly ever probably reported on that.”

Leavitt said that President Donald Trump would be attending the dignified transfer ceremony when the fallen soldiers are returned to the United States.

Such coverage, Collins said, “is not making the president look bad. That is showcasing that.”

Leavitt replied, “We expect you to cover that as you should. Caitlin, but you and your network know that you take every single thing this administration says and tries to use it to make the president look bad.”

Collins continued to question why covering troop deaths was trying to make the president look bad.

“If you’re trying to argue right now that CNN’s overwhelming coverage is not negative of President Donald Trump, I think the American people would tend to agree, and your ratings would tend to…” Leavitt appeared to have been meaning that the American people would disagree.

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- Lil Marco i thought Hegseth was the Secretary of War? She says defense over and over. And she calls the military operation a war, but only Congress can declare war. Leavitt is ridiculous.

- Anonymous Leave it Leavitt. Perhaps start thinking about how you will face the world and regain your dignity when your time in the slime ends.