White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt blasted CNN for giving a platform to terrorism after the network aired what she called a “despicable” softball interview with a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, an organization now designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the Trump administration.
Key Takeaways
- White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt condemned CNN for conducting what she called a “softball interview” with a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, a designated terrorist group.
- The controversial interview was conducted by CNN International Correspondent Isobel Yeung, aired on May 2, and featured an anonymous cartel member involved in Fentanyl production.
- Leavitt stated the interview demonstrates why “trust in legacy media is at an all-time low” among Americans, as it gave a platform to a notorious organization responsible for American deaths.
- Conservative media figures joined in criticizing CNN for seemingly normalizing the cartel while failing to adequately highlight their crimes against Americans.
White House Condemns CNN’s “Despicable” Interview
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt didn’t mince words when addressing CNN’s recent interview with a member of Mexico’s Sinaloa Cartel. Speaking on Fox News Channel’s Hannity, Leavitt expressed shock at the network’s decision to provide airtime to a member of an organization officially designated as a terrorist group by the Trump administration. The interview, conducted by CNN International Correspondent Isobel Yeung, aired on May 2 and featured an anonymous cartel member who was permitted to speak freely about his organization’s activities while his identity remained concealed.
“It was fascinating to me, Sean, I was scrolling on Instagram when I came across this interview and it stopped me in my tracks, not just because they sat down with a member of a Mexican cartel that is now designated as a foreign terrorist organization by the United States government, but because of the nature of the questions of this notorious foreign terrorist,” White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said.
Controversial Questions Fuel Conservative Backlash
The interview itself contained several exchanges that particularly angered conservative viewers and officials. Yeung asked the cartel member about President Trump’s designation of the group as terrorists and even inquired about what message he might have for the President. These questions, rather than focusing exclusively on the cartel’s violent crimes and drug trafficking operations, sparked immediate outrage from right-leaning media figures who viewed it as providing a propaganda platform for criminals responsible for countless American deaths through fentanyl distribution.
“What’s your message to Donald Trump if he’s watching this?” asked CNN correspondent Isobel Yeung during the interview.
Fox News host Lawrence Jones expressed his frustration with CNN’s approach, stating: “I don’t care what he thinks about the president. What about all the girls that you raped doing the drug trade?”
Media Trust at Stake
Leavitt used the opportunity to highlight broader concerns about mainstream media credibility, suggesting that such journalistic decisions contribute to Americans’ growing distrust of legacy news organizations. The press secretary emphasized that giving a platform to groups designated as terrorist organizations by the United States government represents a serious breach of journalistic responsibility and undermines public confidence in major news networks’ ability to report fairly and ethically on matters of national security.
“I thought it was quite despicable, but again, this is just another reason why the trust in the legacy media is at an all-time low amongst the American public,” said Karoline Leavitt.
The backlash extended beyond the White House, with numerous MAGA commentators and conservative media figures joining the chorus of criticism. Many focused on what they perceived as CNN’s sympathetic treatment of the cartel member, contrasting it with the network’s often critical coverage of the Trump administration’s border security policies. Critics argued that providing such a platform to criminal organizations ultimately serves to normalize their activities while downplaying the devastating impact of their operations on American communities ravaged by drug addiction and cartel violence.
