KAROLINE Leavitt brutally ripped into CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins during a fiery briefing exchange after Collins pressed her on whether the press should downplay US service members killed in the Iran war.

“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?” Collins asked.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt speaks during a media briefing.Karoline Leavitt had a heated exchange with CNN White House Chief Correspondent Kailtan CollinsCredit: Getty Images
 
Kaitlan Collins, CNN chief White House correspondent, speaks at a news conference.Leavitt and Collins have engaged in frequent, heated exchanges during briefingsCredit: Getty
White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt shot back, “No. It’s the position of this administration that the press should accurately report on the success of Operation Epic Fury.”

Leavitt’s response framed the issue as media coverage of the operation’s results, not the casualty toll.

Leavitt then accused CNN of twisting the administration’s words to make President Trump “look bad.”

“Your network tries to take every thing this admin says and tries to make the president look bad. That is a fact.” Leavitt said.

Collins pushed back, “I don’t think covering troop deaths is trying to make the president look bad.”

“If you’re trying to argue right now that CNN’s overwhelming coverage is not negative of Trump, I think the American people would tend to agree, and your ratings would tend to disagree with that as well.” Leavitt escalated.

Collins’ question followed Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s remarks at the Pentagon, where he criticized media coverage as the war escalates.

Hegseth did not name the dead service members and instead accused the press of spotlighting “tragic things” to make President Donald Trump “look bad.”

“America is winning decisively, devastatingly and without mercy,” Hegseth said.

“But when a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front-page news… the press only wants to make the president look bad,” he added.

The exchange comes as the Pentagon has confirmed American deaths tied to the operation, including troops killed in an Iranian drone strike in Kuwait.

On Tuesday, the Pentagon released the names of four of the six Americans killed March 1 in a drone attack at Port Shuaiba, Kuwait.

Capt. Cody A. Khork, Sgt. 1st Class Noah L. Tietjens, Sgt. 1st Class Nicole M. Amor, and Sgt. Declan J. Coady.

All assigned to the 103rd Sustainment Command in Des Moines, Iowa; two others have not yet been publicly identified.