White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clashed sharply with CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins during a tense press briefing on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, accusing Collins and her network of deliberately trying to make President Donald Trump “look bad” as the death toll from Operation Epic Fury in Iran continued to climb.
The confrontation in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth criticized media coverage earlier that day regarding six U.S. service members killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait over the weekend. The exchange marked the latest escalation between the 28-year-old press secretary—the youngest to ever hold the position—and one of Washington’s most prominent White House correspondents.
Collins had asked whether the administration expected news outlets to downplay the deaths of American troops, referencing Hegseth’s earlier assertion that reporting on “tragic things” was designed to harm the president politically. The question provoked an immediate reaction.
Leavitt fired back, raising her voice: “That’s not what the secretary said, Kaitlan, and that’s not what the secretary meant. And you know it. You know you’re being disingenuous. We’ve never had a secretary of defense who cares more.”
When Collins responded by quoting Hegseth’s exact remarks, Leavitt visibly lost her composure. Pointing at the CNN anchor, she insisted that the press actively tries to portray the president negatively—”especially you, and especially CNN.”
As other reporters attempted to interject, Leavitt elevated her tone once more: “Listen to me, especially you and especially CNN.”
The press secretary then expanded her criticism, claiming CNN had “hardly ever probably reported” on Hegseth’s nationwide visits with troops. She accused the network of twisting “every single thing this administration says” to damage the president.
Leavitt went on to argue that if Collins believed CNN’s coverage wasn’t overwhelmingly negative toward Trump, “the American people would tend to agree, and your ratings would tend to agree” with the administration’s perspective.
The dispute is tied to Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran. On Wednesday, the Pentagon released the names of the six fallen service members: Captain Cody A. Khork, 35; Sergeant First Class Nicole M. Amor, 39; Sergeant Declan J. Coady, 20; Sergeant First Class Noah L. Tietjens, 42; Major Jeffrey R. O’Brien, 45, of Indianola, Iowa; and Chief Warrant Officer 3 Robert M. Marzan, 54, of Sacramento, California. All were part of the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit from Iowa, and were killed when a drone struck a command facility at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
The bombing campaign in Iran resulted in the deaths of Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and 49 senior officials, while more than 1,300 people have reportedly been killed in Iran since the operation began. Energy costs have surged, and Trump’s MAGA movement has fractured over the intervention, with figures such as former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, and Megyn Kelly publicly opposing it.
Later that evening on her program, “The Source,” Collins reflected on the explosive exchange. Showing photos of the fallen troops, she stated pointedly: “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 also spoke with former Vice President Mike Pence, who attempted to stay neutral while emphasizing the importance of honoring fallen service members. When asked whether Hegseth’s comments were appropriate, Pence declined to choose sides: “I don’t want to get in between you and the administration arguing about the media.” Still, he added that it is “altogether fitting and altogether proper” to recognize fallen heroes.
The latest conflict continues a long-running pattern of tension between Collins and the Trump administration. In February, President Trump criticized Collins after she questioned him about Jeffrey Epstein documents, calling her “the worst reporter” and suggesting she should smile more. In December, he labeled Collins “stupid and nasty” on Truth Social, also misspelling her name. Leavitt and Collins previously sparred in December over questions related to the economy and inflation.
President Trump attended the dignified transfer ceremony on March 7 at Dover Air Force Base for the six service members killed in Kuwait. Joining him were First Lady Melania Trump, Vice President JD Vance and Second Lady Usha Vance, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Attorney General Pam Bondi, White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles, and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard. As U.S. casualties grow, the administration faces rising pressure to justify the intervention—even as it battles with the press over how those losses should be covered.
