The White House has lashed out this Monday against CNN reporter Kristen Holmes, stating that her children "will be disgusted and ashamed to have such an insensitive and vengeful mother." The attack came after the correspondent at the presidential headquarters asked Donald Trump about the criticisms from a Democratic senator and then attempted to question him about his contacts with North Korea. The president responded by accusing her of being a "fake reporter" and went on to order her to be silent up to six times.
"Silence. Silence. Silence. You are very disrespectful. What outlet are you from?" Trump snapped when Holmes, along with other journalists, was trying to get more details about the president's relationship with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un.
After the journalist identified herself as a CNN employee, the president replied with a "fake news" and labeled her a "loud and disruptive person" and "a fake journalist" who "publishes fake news."
Moments earlier, Holmes had asked Trump for a reaction to the words of Democratic Senator Jon Ossoff, who claims that the Republican leader prefers "to travel with Natalie" Harp, a White House advisor, rather than focus on his responsibilities as head of the U.S. Executive.
"No, I would prefer to focus on other things. We are building magnificent facilities. We are renovating a White House that has been neglected," Trump responded, referring to the remodeling work at the presidential residence.
After the appearance, the official White House account on social media, used to disseminate snippets of events and government messages and to respond to political opponents, raised the tone with two particularly harsh posts.
"Kristen Holmes is a disgraceful and humiliating shame for her supposed profession. The president welcomes a heroic rescuer (whom he has invited to the government headquarters and with whom he has appeared) in the Oval Office and she takes the opportunity to deliver a low blow to one of President Trump's staff members," the White House stated in a first message, capped off with "this scum is the worst of the worst."
In a second text, the official account went even further: "One day, your children will come across your disgusting and inhumane question. They will feel outraged and ashamed to have such an insensitive and vengeful mother. It is quite disturbing."
In light of these disqualifications, CNN has come to the defense of its correspondent, whom it defines as "one of the most respected and established journalists covering the White House."
"This afternoon, she did her job and asked the President of the United States a difficult, relevant, and journalistically interesting question on behalf of the American people," the network emphasized.
The outlet also recalled that "public officials are free to rebut information they disagree with, but personal attacks against journalists for asking questions are unbecoming of their office and incompatible with the principles of press freedom."
"We firmly support Kristen and reject these attacks in the strongest possible terms," CNN concluded.