A tense White House press briefing erupted on Thursday after CNN's Chief White House Correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, publicly accused Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt of lying about the contents of a video message from Democratic lawmakers.
The Contentious Exchange
The confrontation centred on a video featuring six Democratic lawmakers, all of whom are veterans of the military or intelligence community. The politicians, including Senators Elissa Slotkin and Mark Kelly, and Representatives Jason Crow, Chris Deluzio, Chrissy Houlahan, and Maggie Goodlander, were seen telling service members: 'You can refuse illegal orders.' They added, 'No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our constitution.'
However, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt repeatedly characterised the message differently to reporters, insisting the lawmakers were urging the military to refuse 'lawful orders.' This significant alteration prompted a forceful rebuttal from the press corps. After an exchange with CBS Chief White House Correspondent Nancy Cordes, who argued the point, Leavitt attempted to end the briefing.
Collins's Accusation and Trump's Reaction
As Leavitt walked away from the podium, Kaitlan Collins directly challenged her, stating, 'Karoline, you misquoted Democrats in that video. That's actually not what they said.' The video itself did not specify which 'illegal orders' were being referenced, though it emerges amidst criticism of Trump administration policies concerning deadly strikes on vessels suspected of drug trafficking.
In response to the original video, former President Donald Trump took to his Truth Social platform. In one post, he labelled the behaviour 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR AT THE HIGHEST LEVEL' and called for the politicians to be 'ARRESTED AND PUT ON TRIAL.' He followed up with another post stating, 'SEDITIOUS BEHAVIOR, punishable by DEATH!' demanding an example be set.
Fallout and Implications
This incident highlights the deeply charged political atmosphere and the ongoing tensions between the current administration and the press. The direct accusation of dishonesty from a senior journalist against a White House Press Secretary marks a significant moment, raising questions about transparency and the characterisation of political opposition. The episode, compounded by Trump's extreme reaction, ensures the debate over military orders and political speech will continue to dominate headlines.
