White House launches personal attack on CNN reporter over question to Trump
CNN says attack ‘beneath the office’ after Kristen Holmes asked president about Jon Ossoff’s comments on key aide The White House launched a personal attack against a CNN reporter on Monday with a social media post that mentioned her children and accused her of asking a “disgusting and inhumane question”. A White House post targeted Kristen Holmes, a senior White House correspondent for the…
On Monday, the White House launched a personal attack on CNN reporter Kristen Holmes after she questioned President Trump about remarks made by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. The White House's social media post targeted Holmes, mentioning her children and accusing her of posing a "disgusting and inhumane question". The post went on to call her a "disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession" and criticized her for making a "cheap shot" at a White House staffer.
Ossoff had previously told a crowd that Trump "doesn't want to do the job" and preferred to build his ballroom and travel with his assistant, Natalie Harp. The comment was seen as a reference to Harp's close relationship with Trump, leading to scrutiny of her perceived loyalty to the president.
When Holmes asked Trump to respond to Ossoff's remarks in the Oval Office, he dismissed her, calling Senator Ossoff a "Pee-wee Herman lookalike". The White House's "rapid response" account posted a clip of the exchange and tagged Holmes, further criticizing her actions.
Later, the White House sent out another post expressing their disapproval of Holmes' question, stating that her children would be "sickened and embarrassed" to see her engage in such behavior. President Trump directly criticized Holmes during the Oval Office event, referring to her as "fake news" and telling her to "be quiet."
CNN defended Holmes, stating that she asked a "tough, relevant, and newsworthy question on behalf of the American people." They called her a "one of the most respected and accomplished journalists covering the White House" and condemned the White House's personal attack on her. The network's director of communications also posted a series of insults targeting Ossoff in response to the senator's speech, further highlighting the contentious nature of the White House's reaction to Holmes' questioning.
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