The mainstream media has no shame. And now it’s on display for all to see.
Because CNN derailed Trump’s speech for a completely humiliating reason.
CNN Anchor Challenges Trump’s Anti-American Accusation
In a striking moment during live coverage of President Trump’s Oval Office appearance, CNN anchor Dana Bash intervened to address a provocative claim made by the president. Trump had asserted that journalists at the Warner Bros.
Discovery-owned network “hate our country,” prompting an immediate response from Bash. Speaking directly to viewers, she declared, “I just want to say for the record, since we heard President Trump say in the Oval Office that CNN hates our country — CNN does not hate our country.”
Bash, a veteran journalist, emphasized the obviousness of her statement, adding, “That should go without saying.” Reflecting on her 32 years at CNN, she characterized Trump’s remark as a deliberate rhetorical strategy. Her swift rebuttal aimed to set the record straight and refocus the broadcast on the substantive issues at hand.
Oval Office Showdown Over Deportation Dispute
The interruption came amid a tense exchange during a meeting between Trump and El Salvador’s President Nayib Bukele. The discussion took a confrontational turn when CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins raised the case of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran man who, according to a U.S. Supreme Court ruling, was wrongly deported and remains imprisoned in El Salvador. Collins pressed Trump, asking, “Do you plan to ask President Bukele to help return the man who your administration says was mistakenly deported to El Salvador?”
Rather than addressing the question directly, Trump sidestepped with a personal jab, mocking Collins as a “very low-rated anchor at CB — at CNN. Low-rated!” He then handed the floor to Attorney General Pam Bondi and deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller, avoiding a direct response. When Collins persisted, Trump escalated his criticism, asserting, “CNN is totally slanting because they don’t know what’s happening. That’s why nobody’s watching them.”
Bukele’s Response and Trump’s Intensified Attacks
Collins, undeterred, repeated her question and turned to Bukele, asking if he would facilitate Abrego Garcia’s return. Bukele responded sharply, stating he wouldn’t “smuggle a terrorist into the United States.”
Trump seized the moment to amplify the rhetoric, claiming, “They’d love to have a criminal, you know, released into our country. They would love it. They’re —these are sick people.” The exchange grew increasingly heated as Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Miller joined in, chastising Collins for her line of questioning.
Collins reminded the room that Trump had previously committed to following court orders regarding wrongly deported individuals. Trump shot back, “Why don’t you just say, ‘Isn’t it wonderful that we’re keeping criminals out of our country’?” He continued, “Why can’t you say that? Why do you go over and over, and that’s why nobody watches you anymore, you know, you have no credibility.” The escalating confrontation points to the deep tensions between the administration and the press.
CNN Cuts Feed to Address Misinformation
As the Oval Office exchange spiraled, CNN’s Inside Politics made the decision to cut away from the live feed. Bash addressed the audience, explaining, “Okay, we have been listening to a lengthy live press conference inside the Oval Office with the leader of El Salvador, Bukele, where we have heard a lot of bits of information, a lot of news nuggets that we want to definitely focus on — a lot of some misinformation as well.”
The move allowed the network to regain control of the narrative and shift focus to analyzing the discussion.
Before transitioning to her panel, Bash took a final moment to push back against Trump’s broader accusation of anti-American sentiment at CNN.
Her response aimed to clarify the network’s stance while highlighting the importance of addressing both the factual developments and the misinformation that emerged from the Oval Office meeting. The incident highlights the challenges of covering a polarizing administration in real time.
