Jim Acosta to McEnany: ‘Isn’t it hypocritical for you to accuse others of disinformation?’

CNN reporter Jim Acosta suggested White House press questioned if Kayleigh McEnany was “hypocritical” as she exited today’s briefing, following her criticism of the media at the podium.

To close Tuesday’s session, McEnany attempted to leave the room shortly after chiding reporters for their lack of coverage of President-elect Joe Biden’s son Hunter before Acosta snuck in his own line.

“Kayleigh, isn’t it hypocritical for you to accuse others of disinformation when you spread it every day?” the CNN reporter asked, though McEnany ignored him and gave no response as she left the briefing room.

Acosta did not comment on the moment on Twitter, but he did retweet Vox journalist Aaron Rupar’s video of it. Watch it above.

This certainly isn’t the first tense exchange between McEnany and CNN White House reporters, with Alabama native Kaitlan Collins on the receiving end in November.

“Thank you, everyone, for the very good and substantive questions,” McEnany said, trying to end the Nov. 20 briefing. When the group of reporters tried to ask more questions, she briefly returned to the mic.

“I don’t call on activists,” McEnany said while looking at Collins before leaving the podium. Collins responded, “I’m not an activist,” noting McEnany hadn’t taken any questions from reporters since Oct. 1. “You just took about five, Kayleigh. That’s not doing your job.”

Following the briefing, Collins tweeted “Appearing in her professional capacity, @PressSec takes only a handful of questions in her first briefing since Oct. 1. Asked why [she] can’t call on all reporters — given it’s been so long and there are not many of us due to social distancing — she called me ‘an activist.’”

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