During a White House press briefing Monday, President Donald Trump became visibly angry at CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes after she inquired about his communications with North Korean leader Kim Jong-un. Holmes asked whether the dictator had requested that the United States reduce military exercises with South Korea. Trump responded by telling the journalist to remain silent and accused her of spreading false information.
The confrontation stemmed from Trump’s earlier social media post expressing dissatisfaction with joint military drills between the U.S. and South Korea, citing his relationship with Kim Jong-un. When Holmes attempted to clarify her question, Trump spoke over her, repeating demands for her to stop speaking and labeling her reporting as inaccurate.
The White House communications team escalated tensions by launching personal attacks against Holmes on social media following the exchange. The criticism focused on a separate question Holmes posed regarding comments made by Georgia Senator Jon Ossoff about one of Trump’s staff members. The White House characterized Holmes’s line of questioning as inappropriate given the event was meant to honor a teenage lifeguard.
CNN responded by defending its correspondent, stating that Holmes conducted her job professionally by posing relevant questions in the public interest. The network rejected what it characterized as inappropriate personal attacks on a journalist exercising her duties under the First Amendment and stated its support for Holmes.
Originally reported by Variety →
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