Full Breakdown
White House Communications Director Slams CNN Anchor Over “Trump TV” Critique
By Drooid · · How we work
Trump TV Launch and White House Reaction
The administration unveiled a 24-hour YouTube channel—dubbed “Trump TV”—that streams reruns of former President Donald Trump’s past remarks. The channel debuted days after President Trump barred CNN, Politico and MS NOW from White House grounds, prompting major networks to suspend their pool coverage. In response to CNN anchor Erin Burnett’s on-air comparison of the stream to North Korean state television, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung issued a statement calling Burnett “a racist and a r---d.” Cheung, the son of Chinese immigrants, has previously used the same slur toward other journalists and officials.
Burnett’s Critique and Viewership Data
Burnett argued that the limited viewership reflected the channel’s content, which consists largely of past inauguration footage, a helipad dedication without audio, and a United Nations speech.
Official Responses from the White House and CNN
Cheung’s statement, delivered to The Daily Beast, framed Burnett’s criticism as a personal attack. The White House has not issued further comment on the slur or the channel’s performance.
Verbatim Quotes
- “I’ve gotten on the phone with the leadership of all those stations and said, ‘Why are you not taking the president’s remarks live?’” — Karoline Leavitt, house press secretary
- “The administration doesn’t get to decide what news organizations air,” — Erin Burnett
- “So after 24 hours, well, about 1,000 people are watching at last check,” — Erin Burnett