White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt clashed fiercely with CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins during a tense briefing on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, accusing Collins and her network of intentionally trying to portray President Donald Trump “in a negative light” as casualties from Operation Epic Fury in Iran continued to rise.
The fiery exchange in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room followed comments earlier that day from Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who criticized media reporting on six U.S. troops killed in an Iranian drone attack in Kuwait over the weekend. The confrontation was the latest escalation between the 28-year-old press secretary—the youngest to ever serve—and one of Washington’s most visible White House reporters.
Collins had pressed the administration on whether it believed news outlets should avoid prominently covering American troop deaths, referencing Hegseth’s earlier suggestion that reporting on “tragic things” was aimed at weakening the president. The question struck a raw nerve.
Leavitt snapped back, raising her voice: “That’s not what the secretary said, Kaitlan, and that’s not what he meant. And you know that. You’re being dishonest. We’ve never had a secretary of defense who cares more.”
When Collins reiterated Hegseth’s exact wording, Leavitt lost her composure. Pointing at the CNN anchor, she insisted that the press does want to harm the president’s image—“especially you, and especially CNN.”
As other reporters attempted to cut in, Leavitt raised her voice again: “Listen to me, especially you and especially CNN.”
Leavitt then broadened her attack on the network, arguing that CNN had “barely even reported” on Hegseth’s frequent visits with service members. She accused the outlet of twisting “every single thing this administration says” to hurt the president politically.
She added that if Collins believed CNN’s coverage wasn’t overwhelmingly unfavorable toward Trump, “the American people would disagree, and your ratings would disagree.”
The conflict centers around Operation Epic Fury, the joint U.S.-Israel offensive against Iran. The Pentagon released the names of six fallen service members on Wednesday: 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 belonged to the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit in Iowa, and were killed when a drone hit a command post at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
The strikes on Iran killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with 49 senior officials, but more than 1,300 Iranians have reportedly died since the bombing began. Energy costs have spiked, and Trump’s MAGA base has splintered over the military action, with former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, and Megyn Kelly all criticizing the decision.
Collins later addressed the confrontation on her program, “The Source.” With images of the fallen troops displayed behind her, she responded pointedly: “Needless to say, our reporting on Americans who have made the ultimate sacrifice is not about the president—and it’s not about CNN either.”
Collins also interviewed former Vice President Mike Pence, who attempted to stay neutral while supporting coverage of the fallen. When she asked whether Hegseth’s comments were appropriate, Pence sidestepped: “I don’t want to get in the middle of you and the administration arguing about the media.” He added that honoring fallen service members is “altogether fitting and altogether proper.”
The confrontation continues a long-running pattern of tension between Collins and the Trump administration. In February, President Trump lashed out at Collins after she questioned him about the Jeffrey Epstein files, calling her “the worst reporter” and saying she should smile more. In December, he labeled Collins “stupid and nasty” on Truth Social, misspelling her name. Leavitt and Collins also sparred in December over economic issues and inflation.
President Trump attended the dignified transfer ceremony on March 7 at Dover Air Force Base for the six fallen troops. 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 American losses increase, the administration faces rising pressure to defend the intervention—even as it battles the press over how those deaths should be reported.
