Watch: CNN Abruptly Takes Trump Spokeswoman Off the Air Mid-Interview

CNN anchor Kasie Hunt shut down a debate preview on Monday after Trump campaign press secretary Karoline Leavitt kept bringing up how the moderators had criticized her boss in the past.

CNN anchors Jake Tapper and Dana Bash, who are moderating on Thursday, were mentioned after Hunt asked Leavitt what former President Donald Trump would do differently at the debate this time after losing the 2020 election.

Leavitt started her response by asserting that Trump is “well-prepared” for the debate and quipping that he “doesn’t have to hide away and have his advisers tell him what to say” like President Joe Biden.

Trump “knows what he wants to say” and will “relay his vision to the American people to make this country strong, safe, secure and wealthy again,” Leavitt added.

She soon took aim at CNN, saying Trump is “knowingly going into a hostile environment” and noting how the moderators have expressed their opinions of the former president and conducted “biased coverage” of him.

After Leavitt wrapped up her answer by discussing Trump bringing his message to voters, Hunt defended her colleagues.

“Jake Tapper and Dana Bash have acquitted themselves as professionals as they have covered campaigns and interviewed candidates from all sides of the aisle,” she said.

Hunt continued, “I’ll also say that if you talk to analysts of debates, previous, that if you’re attacking the moderators, you’re usually losing.”

The interview pressed on—though not for much longer—as Hunt asked Leavitt about setting expectations for Trump’s first debate against Biden of the 2024 election cycle.

Leavitt said, “Well, first of all, it takes about five minutes to Google ‘Jake Tapper, Donald Trump’ to see that Jake Tapper has —” before Hunt interjected.

“Ma’am,” Hunt said with a wave of her hand, “we’re going to stop this interview if you’re going to keep attacking my colleagues.”

The interview quickly came to a halt as Hunt insisted she was willing to have the conversation if she was there to speak on Trump’s behalf, and Leavitt stressed that she was “stating facts” about the moderators.

“Now I’m sorry. We’re going to come back after the panel. Karoline, thanks very much for your time. You are welcome to come back at any point,” Hunt said as Leavitt’s video feed was cut off.

Hunt added, “She is welcome to come back and speak about Donald Trump. And Donald Trump will have equal time to Joe Biden when they both join us … later this week in Atlanta for this debate.”

But the conversation did not stop there.

“You come on my show, you respect my colleagues. Period. I don’t care what side of the aisle you stand on, as my track record clearly shows,” Hunt said in a post to X.

You cut off my microphone for bringing up the debate moderator’s history of anti-Trump lies.

This proved our point that President Trump will not be treated fairly on Thursday.

Yet he is still willing to go into this 3-1 fight to bring his winning message to the American… https://t.co/EIsiKzvxeq

— Karoline Leavitt (@kleavittnh) June 24, 2024

Leavitt shot back, “You cut off my microphone for bringing up the debate moderator’s history of anti-Trump lies.”

She added, “This proved our point that President Trump will not be treated fairly on Thursday. Yet he is still willing to go into this 3-1 fight to bring his winning message to the American people, and he will win.”