A Trump administration official’s big day at the State Department unraveled within hours after a confrontation at a Washington basketball game.
Britt McHenry, a State Department press adviser, was forced to resign Thursday, just a day after she landed a promotion, a source familiar with the situation told Page Six in a report published Friday. Her exit came after she tossed a drink at a fellow fan during a Wizards game and left the arena under a storm of boos.
“She was forced to resign [over the incident],” the source told Page Six. “She was promoted and fired within 24 hours.”
McHenry had been working as a press adviser handling Europe and Africa, and she also managed press for Kimberly Guilfoyle’s text message scandal, according to Page Six. An insider told the outlet she was elevated Wednesday to head external affairs and press for the team of Under Secretary Jacob Helberg.
That same night, McHenry was at Capital One Arena watching the Wizards take on the Milwaukee Bucks when the trouble began.
Page Six’s source said a man in the crowd had been heckling Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma, who is engaged to model Winnie Harlow. The source said the heckler claimed Kuzma played poorly because “his girlfriend’s ugly” and made other “terrible” remarks about Harlow. McHenry asked him to “ease up,” the source said, and the nearby fans then turned on her and threw a drink at her.
Video obtained by TMZ shows McHenry throwing a drink after fans chanted “Get her out!” according to Page Six. Spectators then tossed towels at her as she was led out of the arena, and she blew kisses to the jeering crowd on her way out.
People close to McHenry told TMZ she wasn’t kicked out and instead left on her own to head to the bar.
A State Department spokesperson told Page Six the agency does “not comment on internal personnel matters.” McHenry did not respond to the outlet’s request for comment.
It’s not the first time a viral outburst has cost McHenry professionally. ESPN suspended her in 2015 after she was filmed berating a towing company employee, mocking the worker’s education and appearance.
“’Cause I’m on television, and you’re in a f—king trailer, honey,” she said in the clip.
McHenry later worked as a commentator for Fox Nation before joining the Trump administration.