Things got testy on CNN's "The Source" as host Kaitlan Collins fact-checked Mike Waltz, the Trump administration's ambassador to the United Nations, about the president's reasoning for banning select media outlets from the White House.
On Friday, Trump revoked the press credentials for CNN, MS NOW and Politico because of what he described as "fake news" coverage of his economy and the war in Iran. During the segment, Waltz claimed that Trump was right to invoke "national security" in his ban because those outlets have published stories relying on anonymous sources, especially about the U.S.'s munitions supply in the Middle East.
Collins fact-checked Waltz about the claim, which caused the segment to get heated.
"Well, that's not what thepresident cited when he bannedCNN and the two other outlets," Collins said to Waltz. "But on the munitions, those were in the Inspector General's report from the Pentagon talking about shortages ... [and they are] obligated to give that report to Congress."
Waltz seemed caught off guard by Collins' fact-check.
"I mean, you know, I hope wehave a lot of air time to talkabout this," Waltz said. "There's aninvestigative report, but there's also been awhole slew of anonymous sources. And we know our adversaries payattention to the headlines. Andwhen you're essentiallysignaling to the world that the United States is out ofammunition, when in fact,that's not true. That's alegitimate concern. And itcertainly is a threat to ournational security."
"The report talked aboutmunition shortages, did it not?" Collins shot back.
Waltz was taken aback by the question and stammered as he claimed that it pointed to cuts under the Obama administration.
"That's what the IGreport was talking about.That's very different thananonymous sources on the Secretary," Waltz said.