Hegseth questions press motive in casualty coverage
Secretary of Defense at Pentagon briefing
“I get it, the press only wants to make the President look bad”
Source and context
Official statement
About this source
Hegseth contrasts prominent reporting of losses with military success and alleges press intent to make President Trump look bad. Read remarks together, not as a claim that deaths should never be covered.
Original text
About this source
CNN reproduces Hegseth excerpt and Collins–Leavitt exchange and Collins's on-air response. Rush transcript may be updated; compare to full White House recording before publication.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Before the quotation
Hegseth acknowledged the deaths of six U.S. service members and then described tragic events making front-page news.
After the quotation
Collins questioned whether the administration opposed prominent coverage; Leavitt denied that implication but repeated criticism of CNN.
How this statement is classified
Responding to: Prominent news coverage of U.S. troop deaths was driven by a wish to make President Trump look bad.
The label describes this statement’s response within the context above.
Why this label?
Condemns the press conduct and motive he alleged; the record does not independently establish individual reporters' intent.
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- Published here
- People and groups discussed
- CNN
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