[Video below.] White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins during a tense exchange Wednesday over how the media has covered the deaths of U.S. service members killed amid the ongoing conflict with Iran and across the Middle East.

The confrontation unfolded during a White House briefing when Collins, CNN’s chief White House correspondent, asked Leavitt about comments made earlier by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth at a Pentagon press conference. At that event, Hegseth accused the “fake news” media of highlighting the deaths of American troops in a way that was intended to make President Donald Trump “look bad.”

The discussion escalated after Collins raised Hegseth’s remarks and also referenced reports that Trump plans to attend the dignified transfer ceremony for the remains of six U.S. soldiers killed Sunday during an attack on a command center in Kuwait.

“Is it the position of this administration that the press should not prominently cover the deaths of U.S. service members?” Collins asked Leavitt.

“No,” Leavitt answered. “It’s the position of this administration that the press in this room and the press across the country should accurately report on the success of Operation Epic Fury and the damage it is doing to the rogue Iranian regime that has threatened the lives of every single American in this room.”

Collins pressed further, noting that Hegseth had been “complaining that it was front page news about these six service members who were killed.”

Leavitt rebuked the CNN reporter for the follow-up and repeatedly interrupted as Collins attempted to respond and fact-check the press secretary’s comments.

“That’s not what the secretary said, Kaitlan, and that’s not what the secretary meant,” Leavitt said. “And you know it. You know you’re being disingenuous.”

Collins then quoted Hegseth directly, reading from his earlier remarks at the Pentagon.

“When a few drones get through or tragic things happen, it’s front page news. I get it. The press only wants to make the president look bad, but try for once to report the reality.”

“You know we cover the deaths of service members under any president,” Collins also hit back.

Leavitt responded by reiterating Hegseth’s criticism and accusing the media of trying to undermine the administration.

“The press does only want to make the president look bad,” the rattled press secretary replied. “That’s it. That’s a fact.”

She then continued her criticism of CNN and its coverage.

“Listen to me, especially you, and especially CNN,” Leavitt snapped back at Collins. “The Secretary of Defense cares deeply about our war fighters and our men and women in uniform. He travels all across this country to meet with them, to connect with them, and your network has hardly ever probably reported on that.”

Collins attempted to close the exchange by noting that reporting on Trump’s plans to attend the transfer of the soldiers’ remains was not negative coverage but instead highlighted his actions as president.

Leavitt responded that the administration expects the media to report on that event while again accusing CNN of consistently portraying the president in a negative light.

“We expect you to cover that as you should, Kaitlan, but you and your network know that you take every single thing this administration says and tries to use it to make the president look bad,” Leavitt said, before adding a final jab about CNN’s ratings.

Earlier in the briefing, Leavitt also defended Trump’s decision to launch strikes against Iran, saying the move was based on intelligence indicating an imminent threat to the United States and its allies.

“The president was not going to be just another president on a very long list who sat back and stood by and passed the buck of this direct threat to the next administration,” she said Wednesday after The Independent pressed her on the shifting explanations for the war offered by top administration officials since the weekend.

WATCH:

{Matzav.com}