CNN’s Kasie Hunt cut off Karoline Leavitt after she made disparaging remarks about Jake Tapper and Dana Bash instead of answering a question about Trump’s debate strategy

Kasie Hunt and Karoline Leavitt on ‘CNN This Morning’ on June 24, 2024. Photo: 

CNN

A tense moment unfolded on CNN on Monday, June 24, when a spokesperson for Donald Trump made disparaging comments about two of the interviewer’s colleagues.

CNN’s Kasie Hunt had Trump’s national press secretary Karoline Leavitt on CNN This Morning to discuss the upcoming presidential debate between Trump, 78, and President Joe Biden, 81. The event — which is slated 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 would be preparing for the debate, Trump’s spokeswoman said: “President Trump knows what he wants to say, and he’s going to relay his vision to the American people to make this country strong, safe, secure and wealthy again.”

“He’s been doing that across this great nation to all corners of this country,” Leavitt continued.

“And that’s why President Trump is knowingly going into a hostile environment on this very network, on CNN, with debate moderators who have made their opinions about him very well known over the past eight years and their biased coverage of him.”

Jake Tapper speaks during the ‘CNN Democratic Town Hall’ in 2019. Gary Miller/FilmMagic

Hunt then defended Tapper, 55, and Bash, 53, saying that they “have acquitted themselves as professionals as they have covered campaigns and interviewed candidates from all sides of the aisle.”

She added that “if you’re attacking the moderators, you’re usually losing,” and reiterated that she was more interested in hearing about Trump’s specific plans for this debate.

Leavitt, however, attempted to double-down on her previous argument regarding Tapper and Trump. Hunt cut Leavitt off before she could say more, bringing the interview to an abrupt end.

“Ma’am, we’re going to stop this interview if you’re going to keep attacking my colleagues,” Hunt said. The camera cut away from Leavitt as Hunt thanked her for taking the time to appear on CNN and suggested that she’s welcome back any time if she would like to discuss Trump.

Karoline Leavitt, national press secretary for Trump’s campaign, appears at the Manhattan criminal court on May 29, 2024, to support her boss ahead of his felony convictions.Jabin Botsford/The Washington Post/Bloomberg via Getty

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

“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 equipped to co-moderate a substantial and fact-based discussion and we look forward to the debate on June 27 in Atlanta.”

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