The White House’s attempt to troll CNN flopped spectacularly after a host on the network skewered its pathetic effort.
CNN’s Dana Bash put the White House in its place after the administration’s official Rapid Response account tried to hit back at media outlets reporting on President Donald Trump’s propensity for falling asleep on the job.
“@DanaBashCNN FALLS ASLEEP AHEAD OF HER 55TH BIRTHDAY NEXT MONTH,” the account wrote, including a screenshot of Bash’s Inside Politics coverage with her eyes closed. “WHAT IS GOING ON?”
“If only ! Thanks for watching,” Bash, 54, replied.
The Daily Beast has reached out to the White House for comment.
The White House communications team went on a tear against the media on Tuesday as Trump, 79, visited Walter Reed National Military Medical Center for the fourth known medical evaluation of his second term.
The account fired off around a dozen posts on X targeting reporters and news anchors for “falling asleep,” using photos of them blinking to insinuate that they snooze live on air. The social media spree is in response to outlets’ coverage of the president’s tendency to get some shut-eye during meetings, which is often captured on video.
“Third-rate loser @jeffmason1 cannot seem to keep his eyes open as he speculates (lies) about President Trump’s perfect health. Not good,” a spokesperson wrote in one post, including a screenshot of the Bloomberg reporter mid-blink.
The administration directed many of its attacks toward CNN journalists, including Brianna Keilar and Jake Tapper, as well as Bash.
“FLASHBACK: FAKE TAPPER APPEARS TO DOZE OFF THROUGHOUT HIS SHOW,” one post read. Another read, “BRIANNA KEILAR SAYS NAP WENT ”PERFECTLY" AFTER FALLING ASLEEP LIVE ON AIR. RUMOR IS SHE ALSO FAILED HER COGNITIVE EXAM (UNLIKE PRESIDENT TRUMP — WHOSE WAS PERFECT!)"
The network’s Kate Bolduan and Kevin Liptak also came under fire.
“Wow! @KateBolduan just fell asleep AGAIN as Fake News CNN was baselessly speculating about President Trump’s health. Really makes you wonder what these clowns are hiding about their own health,” one post said, while another read: “What’s going on with @Kevinliptakcnn’s health? He’s sleeping on air?”
Trump’s talent for catching Zs in public is well documented throughout his second term in office. In fact, the near-octogenarian, who is the oldest sitting American president, appeared to rest his eyes during a Memorial Day event at Arlington National Cemetery on Monday, just a day before his annual physical exam.
The president announced in a Truth Social post on Tuesday afternoon that his “6 month physical” at the medical center in Bethesda, Maryland, “checked out PERFECTLY.” The official report of Trump’s physical examination has yet to be released.
