Trump, Questioned About Female Aide, Again, Mouths Off Against Female Journalist
India-West News Desk
WASHINGTON, DC – President Donald Trump once again turned his ire on a female journalist who dared to ask him a question, berating CNN White House correspondent Kristen Holmes as a ‘fake reporter’ and ‘disrespectful’ before his administration took the attack an ugly step further by dragging her children into it. CNN journalists quickly rallied behind Holmes, condemning the personal attacks as beneath the office of the president.
The confrontation unfolded in the Oval Office on August 17, when Indian American Sumit Rai’s family was there to praise and recognize a California teen lifeguard for saving their son Nathaniel from drowning. Holmes asked Trump about his decision to scale back joint U.S.-South Korea military drills and questioned him about his relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. Trump repeatedly shouted ‘QUIET!’ at Holmes before telling her, ‘You’re a fake reporter and you report fake news!’
The episode was yet another instance of Trump responding to challenging questions by attacking the journalist – particularly if it is a woman – asking them rather than engaging with the substance of the question.
The exchange came about 10 minutes after Holmes had asked Trump about a comment from Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff concerning Trump aide Natalie Harp, 35. At a rally the previous evening, Ossoff had referred to Harp as Trump’s ‘human printer’ while criticizing the president for spending time on his proposed ballroom and traveling with Harp on what he described as a ‘defenseless flying palace’ gifted by the Emir of Qatar. Trump did not answer the question.
After Trump attacked her on camera, the White House’s Rapid Response 47 account took to X to denounce the CNN correspondent, calling her ‘a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession.’
Less than 30 minutes later, the account went after Holmes personally and invoked her children. ‘Someday, your children will come across your disgusting and inhumane question,’ the account wrote, tagging Holmes. ‘They will be sickened and embarrassed to have a parent be so callous and vindictive.’
The attacks prompted a public show of support from Holmes’ CNN colleagues. The Daily Beast collated these.
On The Lead, anchor Jake Tapper introduced Holmes by noting that Trump had responded to her as he ‘often does with tough, smart women.’
Erin Burnett, on OutFront, said Holmes’ questions had ‘clearly hit a nerve’ with Trump and characterized her inquiry as a legitimate one.
Anderson Cooper also addressed the episode on AC360, saying Trump had once again done the ‘thing he does with reporters, especially women who are doing their jobs.’ After airing the exchange, Cooper questioned whether Holmes’ question about North Korea was unreasonable.
CNN also issued a strong defense of Holmes. The network described her as ‘one of the most respected and accomplished journalists covering the White House. Public officials are free to challenge reporting they disagree with, but personal attacks on journalists for asking questions are beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press,’ CNN said.
CNN host Laura Coates read the statement on air later that evening and called Holmes an ‘unbelievable reporter,’ saying she stood behind her colleague.
Anchor Dana Bash also shared CNN’s statement on X, writing that Holmes ‘is an outstanding reporter. Period.’
DJ Judd, CNN’s senior White House producer, posted that Holmes was ‘an incredible colleague and an incredible mother,’ adding that he was ‘so so so impressed’ by her and everything she had accomplished.
