White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt walked into a briefing this week trying to keep the focus where President Donald Trump wanted it — defending the administration’s handling of the escalating war with Iran and projecting confidence that the operation was working exactly as planned. But as reporters pressed her about the deaths of U.S. service members, the moment began slipping away, and the briefing room exchange quickly spiraled into a tense back-and-forth she struggled to rein back in. WASHINGTON, DC – MARCH 06: White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt introduces Steve Witkoff, special envoy to the Middle East to speak to the press outside of the White House on March 06, 2025 in Washington, DC. Witkoff spoke to the press about a range of foreign policy issues including peace talks involving Ukraine and Russia and the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images) On Wednesday, Leavitt’s sales pitch ran into turbulence. CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins pressed her about remarks made earlier in the day by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who appeared to complain about the way the media was covering the deaths of American troops killed during the military campaign known as Operation Epic Fury. The tense exchange erupted in the White House briefing room after Collins asked whether the administration believed the press should avoid prominently covering the deaths of U.S. service members. ‘Most Disgusting Thing’: Trump Tries to Bury a Rumor Tearing Through the White House With a Shock Video — Then Everyone Spots What They Hoped No One Would Notice Earlier that day, Hegseth had lashed out at the media while discussing the conflict. “This is what the fake news misses,” Hegseth said. “So when a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front page news. I get it — the press only wants to make the president look bad. But try for once to report the reality.” When Collins brought up those remarks during the briefing a tense back and forth ensued. “Given what Secretary Hegseth said this morning, is it the position of this administration that the press should not prominently cover the deaths of U.S. service members?” Collins asked. Hegseth: "This is what the fake news misses. We've taken control of Iran's airspace and waterways without boots on the ground. But when a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it's front page news. I get it — the press only wants to make the president look bad, but try… pic.twitter.com/vpW6z85ZPz— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 4, 2026 Leavitt immediately rejected the premise. “No. It’s the position of this administration that the press in this room and the press across the country should accurately report on the success of Operation Epic Fury …,” she said. Collins wasn’t convinced and pushed back, quoting Hegseth directly and noting that he had criticized the media for placing coverage of the troop deaths on the front page. “That’s not what the secretary said, Kaitlan, and that’s not what the secretary meant — and you know it,” Leavitt fired back. “You know you are being disingenuous.” Leavitt continued, attempting to pivot away from the quote, “We’ve never had a secretary of defense who cares more.” COLLINS: Given what Hegseth said this morning, is it the position of this administration that the press should not prominently cover the deaths of US service members?LEAVITT: No. It's the position of this administration that the press should accurately report on the success of… pic.twitter.com/tWjv0liX5Q— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 4, 2026 But Collins quickly interrupted and read Hegseth’s remarks verbatim. Suddenly Leavitt seemed to reverse course. “The press does only want to make the president look bad — that’s it, that’s a fact,” she declared, doubling down in a way that appeared to confirm the very point Collins was pressing. The room erupted as reporters reacted to the blunt admission. “Listen to me,” Leavitt snapped, attempting to regain control of the briefing. “Especially you — and especially CNN.” She went on to accuse the network of relentlessly attacking the president, declaring that it was an “objectible fact” that CNN’s coverage of Trump was overwhelmingly negative — though she appeared to briefly misspeak while making the argument. COLLINS: But Hegseth was complaining that it was front page news about these 6 service members who were killedLEAVITT: That's not what the secretary said and meant and you know it. You know you are being disingenuousCOLLINS: He said, 'tragic things happen. It's front page… pic.twitter.com/6kNenyV0rs— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) March 4, 2026 “If you’re trying to argue right now that CNN’s overwhelming coverage is not negative of President Donald Trump I think the American people would tend to agree — and your ratings would tend to agree,” Leavitt said with a freudian slip she never caught. Clips of the confrontation quickly spread across social media, where critics mocked the press secretary’s argument and accused the administration of attacking journalists rather than answering the underlying question. “He does not need help looking bad Karoline,” one Threads user wrote. Another added, “Trump makes Trump look bad. The press don’t need to put any effort in.” “Kaitlan Collins seems to be the only one who asks this administration tough questions. Look how they completely lose their shit every time she presses them on something,” one X user wrote. “Leavitt really out here mad the truth got dragged into the light huh,” one X user wrote. “She is unraveling in real time. Let’s see if she lasts a month,” another added. Some critics also pointed to the controversy surrounding Trump’s past remarks about service members. One X post read, “Karoline Leavitt and Pete Hegseth: the press is making Trump look bad by reporting the death of 6 ‘suckers and losers.’” The phrase “suckers and losers” references allegations that Trump privately disparaged U.S. service members killed in war. In 2023, former White House chief of staff John Kelly confirmed that Trump had made disparaging comments about military veterans and fallen troops during his presidency, reinforcing earlier reporting that sparked widespread backlash. Later Wednesday night, Collins addressed the clash during her CNN program “The Source,” pushing back against the suggestion that coverage of the fallen soldiers was politically motivated. “Needless to say, our coverage of Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country is not about the president, and it’s not about CNN either,” Collins said. “It’s about the people that you’re looking at here.” She then read the names of the six U.S. service members killed so far during the conflict with Iran: Captain Cody Khork, Sergeant First Class Noah Tietjens, Sergeant First Class Nicole Amor, Sergeant Declan Coady, Major Jeffrey O’Brien and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert Marzan. The tense exchange underscored the administration’s increasingly combative posture toward the press as the Iran conflict stretches into its fifth day and questions continue to swirl about the costs and consequences of the military campaign. ‘Completely Loses It!’: Karoline Leavitt Tries to Humiliate a Reporter, Thinks She Landed the Knockout — Then One Insult Backfires and Suddenly the Whole Room Turns on Her ...read more read less