A fiery clash between a former CNN correspondent and a top White House communications official has just erupted over a baseless and old rumor.
This showdown pits Michelle Kosinski, once a prominent face at CNN, against Steven Cheung, the White House Director of Communications known for his sharp-tongued jabs at opponents of the Trump administration, with Kosinski now threatening legal action over a crude and disproven accusation, as the Daily Mail reports.
Kosinski, who served as CNN’s senior diplomatic correspondent until her departure in February 2020, recently took to social media to critique changes at CBS News, specifically calling out the exit of John Dickerson and the potential hiring of Scott Jennings.
Her post didn’t go unnoticed, as Cheung, ever the provocateur in the Trump camp, reshared her commentary with a biting remark questioning if she was dismissed from CNN for improper conduct with a source.
Cheung’s comment harked back to a 2020 report by The Sun, a now-removed piece that alleged Kosinski had a romantic involvement with Kim Darroch, the U.K. ambassador to the U.S. from 2016 to 2019, supposedly leading to major scoops for her reporting.
Kosinski has long denied these claims as pure fiction, and a 2020 Department of Justice probe cleared both her and Darroch of any wrongdoing, proving the story held no water.
Yet, Cheung’s decision to dredge up this debunked narrative shows a pattern. His track record includes personal barbs, like a recent crude insult aimed at Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez and a suggestive quip about ex-GOP Rep. Adam Kinzinger’s private life.
While some might argue Cheung’s style is just tough political banter, tossing out unfounded accusations seems more like a cheap shot than a clever comeback, especially when the facts have already been settled by federal investigators.
Kosinski didn’t let the comment slide, firing back with a pointed retort: “Feel like getting sued? Aren’t you the incel in chief?” as she made it clear she’s considering legal action over the smear.
At the time of the original allegations, Kosinski was married and a respected journalist, making the claims not just false but deeply personal, a low blow even by the rough standards of today’s political discourse.
Adding context to the old rumor, leaked documents from Darroch’s tenure revealed his blunt assessments of then-President Trump, including branding him as “incompetent” and suggesting British officials flatter him if in his presence. That is a detail that likely didn’t endear Darroch to the Trump team.
But linking those leaks to Kosinski was always a stretch, as she’s consistently maintained her scoops came from other sources, a stance backed by the DOJ’s findings.
For conservatives wary of media bias, Kosinski’s past at CNN might raise eyebrows, but fairness demands we stick to the evidence -- and the evidence says she’s in the clear on this one.
Cheung’s taunt might play well with a certain crowd, but when the truth has already been established, it risks looking like petty bullying rather than principled pushback against the progressive media machine.
Ultimately, this spat is a reminder of how quickly personal attacks can overshadow substantive debate in our hyper-charged political arena, and while Cheung may relish the role of provocateur, Kosinski’s threat of a lawsuit could turn this into more than just a war of words.
