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CNN rallies around Kristen Holmes after Donald Trump's cruel 'fake news reporter' attack

CNN anchors and colleagues have rallied behind White House reporter Kristen Holmes after Donald Trump launched a series of personal attacks against her in the Oval Office

[US President Donald Trump speaks as he meets with lifeguard Ryder Williams in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, DC, on August 17, 2026. The 16-year-old Williams rescued 10-year-old Nathaniel Rai in rough surf at Seabright Beach last month in Santa Cruz, California. (Photo by Jim WATSON / AFP via Getty Images)]

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Donald Trump called Kristen Holmes 'disrespectful'(Image: JIM WATSON, AFP via Getty Images)

Kristen Holmes' colleagues at CNN have rallied behind her following a barrage of personal attacks from Donald Trump and his administration targeting the senior White House correspondent.

The 40-year-old journalist seemingly provoked the president's anger during an Oval Office press gaggle on Monday, August 17, when she pressed him on his choice to reduce joint US and South Korean military exercises and inquired about his ties with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.

Trump, 80, repeatedly yelled, "Quiet!" at Holmes before calling her "disrespectful" and declaring, "You're a fake reporter, and you report fake news!" The heated confrontation occurred roughly 10 minutes after Holmes had questioned Trump regarding a comment made by Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff about his senior aide Natalie Harp, 35.

Ossoff had mentioned the president's "human printer" at a Sunday night rally, asserting Trump "doesn't want to do the job. He wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie on their apparently defenseless flying palace gifted by the Emir of Qatar."

When Holmes brought up the remark in the Oval Office, Trump sidestepped the question about Harp and devoted more than two minutes to discussing his vanity construction ventures. However, it was Holmes' subsequent inquiries about South Korea and North Korea that seemed to ignite the president's rage, reports the Mirror US.

[An individual in a light-colored suit is holding a microphone and appears to be engaged in an interview, with a large screen displaying "The White House" and other text in the background, and another person standing nearby.]

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Kristen Holmes was Donald Trump's latest target(Image: Getty Images)

In the wake of the exchange, the White House's Rapid Response 47 X account went after Holmes over her questions, branding the CNN reporter "a disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession."

Within less than 30 minutes, the account shifted its focus to Holmes' family in a further personal attack. It read, "Someday, your children will come across your disgusting and inhumane question. They will be sickened and embarrassed to have a parent be so callous and vindictive. It's quite troubling."

Holmes subsequently appeared on The Lead with Jake Tapper and OutFront with Erin Burnett, with both CNN programs airing Trump's remarks about her. Tapper commented, "You were in the Oval asking questions about Trump's stance on South Korea... he responded as he often does with tough, smart women."

[Donald Trump]

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Donald Trump and CNN's Kristen Holmes got into a heated exchange

Burnett also noted that Holmes' questions "clearly hit a nerve" with Trump, while characterizing the reporter's line of questioning as a "legitimate" request. Holmes chose not to directly respond to the personal attacks directed at her during either CNN appearance, keeping her focus firmly on the issues she had been pressing the president on.

On AC360, Anderson Cooper also aired Trump's insults and said the president had done the "thing he does with reporters, especially women who are doing their jobs."

Following the broadcast of the exchange, Cooper stood up for Holmes' line of questioning, stating, "Well, it was certainly not an unreasonable question to ask, did North Korea's brutal dictator somehow talk the president of the United States into acting against the interests of a long-time democratically governed ally, South Korea?"

[Anderson Cooper]

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Anderson Cooper slammed Trump's insults(Image: Getty Images for Warner Bros. Discovery)

CNN also threw its full weight behind Holmes in an official statement, calling her "one of the most respected and accomplished journalists covering the White House."

The network further stated, "Public officials are free to challenge reporting they disagree with, but personal attacks on journalists for asking questions are beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press.

"We stand firmly behind Kristen and reject these attacks in the strongest possible terms." CNN also released the statement in direct response to the Rapid Response account's post that dragged Holmes' children into the dispute.

[Dana Bash]

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Dana Bash shared her support on social media(Image: AP)

Fellow CNN anchor Laura Coates tackled the controversy on her Monday evening broadcast, praising Holmes as an "unbelievable reporter" before reading CNN's statement aloud on air. Coates made her position unequivocally clear, voicing her solidarity with her colleague and firmly rejecting the attacks leveled against her.

CNN anchor Dana Bash posted the network's statement on X, noting that Holmes "is an outstanding reporter. Period." The network's senior White House producer DJ Judd also came to Holmes' defense on X, writing, "Kristen is an incredible colleague and an incredible mother. I am so so so impressed by her and everything she's accomplished."

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