Key facts
- The White House attacked CNN reporter Kristen Holmes on social media.
- The attacks followed a question Holmes asked Donald Trump regarding Senator Jon Ossoff's comments.
- White House posts criticized Holmes's question as "disgusting and inhumane" and mentioned her children.
- Trump told Holmes to "be quiet," calling her "disrespectful" and "fake news."
- CNN defended Holmes, stating she asked a "tough, relevant, and newsworthy question."
- Senator Jon Ossoff called Donald Trump a "draft-dodging, crook president."
The White House engaged in personal attacks against CNN reporter Kristen Holmes via social media after she posed a question to Donald Trump regarding comments made by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff. The White House's social media accounts criticized Holmes's question as "disgusting and inhumane," mentioning her children and calling her a "disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment."
During the exchange, Trump dismissed Ossoff as a "Pee-wee Herman lookalike" and told Holmes to "be quiet," labeling her "disrespectful" and "fake news." Ossoff's original comments, which prompted Holmes's question, criticized Trump's job performance and alleged he prioritized personal interests over presidential duties, referencing his executive assistant, Natalie Harp.
CNN defended Holmes, stating she is a "respected and accomplished" journalist who asked a "tough, relevant, and newsworthy question on behalf of the American people." The network asserted that personal attacks on journalists are "beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press."