CNN moderator removes Trump spokeswoman from show for attacking station journalists

On Monday, June 24, a tense moment occurred on CNN when a spokesman for Donald Trump made derogatory remarks about two of the interviewer’s colleagues.

CNN’s Kasie Hunt hosted Trump’s national press secretary Karoline Leavitt CNN this morning to talk about the upcoming presidential debate between Trump (78) and President Joe Biden (81). The event, scheduled for Thursday, June 27, will be moderated by Hunt’s fellow CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash.

When Hunt, 39, asked Leavitt, 26, how the former president was preparing for the debate, Trump’s spokeswoman said, “President Trump knows what he wants to say, and he will communicate his vision to the American people to make this country strong, safe and prosperous again.”

“He has done this in every corner of this great nation,” Leavitt continued.

“And that’s why President Trump is deliberately putting himself in a hostile environment at this very network, at CNN, with debate moderators who have made their opinions of him very clear over the last eight years and have conducted biased reporting on him.”

Hunt then defended Tapper, 55, and Bash, 53, saying they had “performed as professionals, having covered election campaigns and interviewed candidates from all camps.”

She added, “When you attack the moderators, you usually lose,” and reiterated that she was more interested in hearing about Trump’s specific plans for the debate.

However, Leavitt attempted to reinforce her previous point about Tapper and Trump. Hunt interrupted Leavitt before she could say more, abruptly ending the interview.

“Ma’am, we will terminate this interview if you continue to attack my colleagues,” Hunt said. The camera panned away from Leavitt as Hunt thanked her for taking the time to appear on CNN and told her she was welcome back anytime she wanted to talk about Trump.

In response to Monday’s heated interview, a CNN spokesperson told PEOPLE: “Jake Tapper and Dana Bash are highly respected veteran journalists who have covered politics together for more than five decades.”

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“They have extensive experience moderating major political debates, including CNN’s Republican presidential primary debate this cycle,” the spokesperson continued. “There are no two people better suited to co-moderate a substantive and fact-based discussion, and we look forward to the debate on June 27 in Atlanta.”

The first general election debate of 2024 is scheduled to begin at 9 p.m. Thursday, with the second taking place on September 10 and moderated by ABC News’ David Muir and Linsey Davis.