The White House faced heavy criticism after its Rapid Response account attacked CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes and invoked her children following an Oval Office exchange with President Donald Trump. Holmes had asked whether Kim Jong-un requested reduced U.S.-South Korea military exercises; Trump called her a "fake reporter" and told her to be quiet. Colleagues and CNN condemned the social media post as an inappropriate personal attack that crossed a line.
White House Under Fire After Rapid Response Account Targets CNN Reporter — Children Invoked After Oval Office Clash
(Screengrab via CNN)
The White House has drawn sharp criticism after an official Rapid Response social media post attacked CNN White House correspondent Kristen Holmes and unusually invoked her children following a tense Oval Office exchange with President Donald Trump.
What Happened
The confrontation began when Holmes asked whether North Korean leader Kim Jong-un had asked President Trump to scale back U.S.-South Korea military exercises. Trump repeatedly told Holmes to be quiet, dismissed her as a "fake reporter," and complained about her manner in the room, calling her "loud" and "boisterous."
Tensions escalated after the White House Rapid Response account intervened online. The official post labeled Holmes "a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession" and went on to say:
"Someday, your children will come across your disgusting and inhumane question. They will be sickened and embarrassed to have a parent be so callous and vindictive. It's quite troubling."
Reaction
The intensely personal language prompted immediate backlash. Critics — including fellow reporters and press advocates — condemned the decision by an official administration account to reference a journalist's family after a contentious exchange.
Alayna Treene, a White House correspondent and colleague of Holmes, called the post "a horrible thing to say." CNN defended Holmes, saying she asked "a tough, relevant, and newsworthy question" and denounced personal attacks on journalists as "beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press."
The episode has reignited debate over how the White House engages with journalists and whether official channels should target reporters personally, particularly by invoking their families after on-camera disputes.
Source: Mediaite
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