White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt erupted at CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins during a heated press briefing on Wednesday, March 4, 2026, accusing the journalist and her network of deliberately trying to make President Donald Trump “look bad” amid mounting casualties from Operation Epic Fury in Iran.
The explosive confrontation in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room came after Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth complained earlier that day about media coverage of six U.S. service members killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait over the weekend. The clash marked the latest escalation between the 28-year-old press secretary—the youngest ever to hold the position—and one of Washington’s most prominent White House correspondents.
Collins had asked whether the administration believed the press should not prominently cover the deaths of American soldiers, citing Hegseth’s earlier remarks that media coverage of “tragic things” was designed to undermine the president. The question struck a nerve.
Leavitt fired back, her voice rising: “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 pressed further by quoting Hegseth’s exact words, Leavitt’s restraint dissolved. She pointed directly at the CNN anchor and declared that the press does want to make the president look bad—”especially you, and especially CNN.”
As other reporters attempted to interject, Leavitt raised her voice: “Listen to me, especially you and especially CNN.”
The press secretary then launched a broader attack on the cable network, claiming CNN had “hardly ever probably reported” on Hegseth traveling across the country to meet with service members. She accused the network of twisting “every single thing this administration says” to damage the president.
Leavitt added that if Collins was arguing CNN’s coverage isn’t overwhelmingly negative toward Trump, “the American people would tend to agree, and your ratings would tend to agree” with the administration’s position.
The confrontation stems from Operation Epic Fury, the U.S.-Israel joint military campaign against Iran now in its seventh day. The Pentagon identified all six casualties 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 were members of the 103rd Sustainment Command, an Army Reserve unit based in Iowa, killed when a drone struck a command center at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.
The operation killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and 49 members of Iran’s leadership, but more than 1,300 people are estimated to have died in Iran since the bombing campaign began. Oil and gas prices have surged, and Trump’s MAGA base has fractured over the intervention, with former Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene, Tucker Carlson, and Megyn Kelly all sharply criticizing the decision.
Collins addressed the heated exchange later that evening on her show, “The Source.” With images of the fallen service members displayed on screen, she delivered a pointed response: “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 interviewed former Vice President Mike Pence, who attempted to stay above the fray while defending coverage of the fallen soldiers. When pressed on whether Hegseth’s comments were fair, Pence demurred: “I don’t want to get in between you and the administration arguing about the media.” He added that the attention paid to fallen heroes is “altogether fitting and altogether proper.”
The latest clash continues a pattern of hostility between Collins and the Trump administration. In February, President Trump attacked Collins after she asked about Jeffrey Epstein files, calling her “the worst reporter” and suggesting she should smile more. In December, Trump called Collins “stupid and nasty” on Truth Social, misspelling her name in the process. Leavitt and Collins also clashed in December over economic questions and inflation.
President Trump announced Wednesday he will attend the dignified transfer ceremony for the fallen service members. As the war enters its seventh day and American casualties mount, the administration faces growing pressure to justify the intervention—even as it battles the press over how those losses should be covered.