President Donald Trump repeatedly told CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes to "shut up" during an Oval Office event on Monday, calling her a "loud and obnoxious person" and labeling CNN "fake news" after she asked a question about aide Natalie Harp. The administration's Rapid Response 47 account posted attacks on Holmes on X, including a message warning that her children would one day be "disgusted" by her question. CNN condemned the attacks as "beneath the office and contrary to press freedom". Trump, who also asked two teenage bystanders if they found the journalist "disrespectful," has a history of targeting reporters, having previously insulted New York Times and Bloomberg journalists.
Meanwhile, families of USS Abraham Lincoln sailors expressed anger at Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth for dismissing concerns, after the president claimed third-hand reports showed the carrier was "beautifully maintained" despite documented shortages of supplies, water, and plumbing failures. Senator Jon Ossoff accused Trump of prioritizing personal interests over presidential duties, saying he "wants to build his ballroom and travel with Natalie."