CNN on Tuesday defended its White House correspondent Kristen Holmes after she faced sharp verbal rebukes from US President Donald Trump and personal attacks on social media from the administration’s accounts.

“Kristen Holmes is one of the most respected and accomplished journalists covering the White House,” the network said in a statement, asserting that she performed her duty by asking a “tough, relevant, and newsworthy question on behalf of the American people”.

CNN maintained that while public officials may challenge reporting, personal insults were “beneath the office and inconsistent with the principles of a free press”.

The altercation began when Holmes questioned Trump about comments by Democratic Sen Jon Ossoff of the state of Georgia. Ossoff alleged that Trump prioritised leisure and travel with staff over his official responsibilities. Trump responded by labelling the senator a “Pee-wee Herman look-alike” before directing his frustration at Holmes. “You are a loud, boisterous person. You are fake news. Be quiet,” the US president told the reporter.

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The dispute intensified on social media, where an official White House account described Holmes as a “disgraceful, humiliating embarrassment to her alleged profession”. In a subsequent post, the administration account launched a personal attack, suggesting the reporter’s children would someday be “sickened and embarrassed” by her “callous and vindictive” questioning.

“We stand firmly behind Kristen and reject these attacks in the strongest possible terms,” said CNN.

Throughout his presidency, Trump has maintained a highly critical stance toward the media and occasionally directed personal attacks against individual reporters.