A misleading rumor suggested that Karoline Leavitt, the White House Press Secretary, banned CNN’s Kaitlan Collins from events, but a closer examination tells a different story.
At a Glance
- Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during a briefing.
- A false claim circulated that Collins was banned from a press briefing.
- Evidence shows Collins was not banned but merely not engaged during a specific exchange.
- Trump claimed pardons signed by Biden were void due to the use of an autopen.
Leavitt’s Interaction With Kaitlan Collins
The atmosphere was tense during a recent White House press briefing when Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins engaged in a heated exchange. Collins, known for her confrontational style, questioned Leavitt regarding President Trump’s allegations about the use of autopen for pardons. Leavitt fired back, “You’re a reporter, you should find out,” suggesting Collins investigate further instead of relying on the administration to give input on unfounded claims.
This small skirmish at the briefing turned into an internet firestorm, with rumors quickly spreading that Leavitt had banned Collins from future events entirely. However, such claims were baseless. An investigation confirmed Collins’ absence at one event was due to normal CNN team rotation practices, not a directive from the White House or Leavitt herself.
Trump’s Controversial Pardon Claims
Trump’s disagreement with the pardons signed by the Biden administration involved his bold declaration that they were void due to being signed with an autopen. As per Trump, “The ‘Pardons’ that Sleepy Joe Biden gave to the Unselect Committee of Political Thugs, and many others, are hereby declared VOID, VACANT, AND OF NO FURTHER FORCE OR EFFECT, because of the fact that they were done by Autopen”.
Despite Trump’s dramatic repudiation, intact White House records and staff accounts counter these assertions, noting the President’s awareness of the actions taken during his administration, including the use of autopen.
The Need For Responsible Reporting
This entire episode underscores a growing necessity for diligence and accountability in journalism today, especially in a media environment where sensationalism can easily overshadow facts. Many took Leavitt’s cutting remarks as obstruction, yet she merely pointed out Collins’ responsibility as a journalist to uncover truth, not simply propagate speculation.
An ironic takeaway here is that the tumult caused by these groundless rumors only serves to instantaneously highlight the prevalence of misinformation and the media’s role in either perpetuating or mitigating its spread.
