Out CNN host Anderson Cooper didnt take kindly to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseths aggressive accusations of media bias at an unhinged press coverage, methodically disproving Hegseths claims with clips from CNNs coverage.Hegseth, a former Fox News host, raged at journalists Thursday morning at a press conference where he accused them of cheering against the president after the U.S. military strikes on Irans nuclear facilities. In one exchange, he told the well-respected chief national security correspondent at the Pentagon for Fox News, Jennifer Griffin (his former colleague), that shes been about the worst as one who misrepresents the most intentionally. Related Anderson Cooper stunned by Harvard professors terrifying prediction for American democracy Anderson Cooper said it was terrifying and stunning that democracys survival depends on mainstream politicians like Mitch McConnell doing the right thing. But a lot of his ire was directed at reporting on an early intelligence assessment of the strikes and at fake news CNN specifically. Cooper pointed out on CNN that a number of the claims he [Hegseth] made about the reporting were not accurate. Insights for the LGBTQ+ community Subscribe to our briefing for insights into how politics impacts the LGBTQ+ community and more. Subscribe to our Newsletter today Cooper then played a montage of clips of what Hegseth said about media reports mixed in with clips from CNNs actual coverage that contradicted Hegseths claims. For example, Hegseth accused CNN and the New York Times of providing fawning coverage of the early Defense assessment without mentioning that it will actually take weeks to get enough data to fully assess the outcome of the airstrikes. This initial intelligence assessment from the DIA [Defense Intelligence Agency], which was leaked, was, as we reported, very preliminary, no doubt, more assessments using other methods, other sources, and deeper analysis are being done, Cooper said in a clip showing how he actually discussed that report. Hegseth also claimed that the media wasnt using the word destroyed to discuss the impact of the military strikes. Cooper then played multiple clips of CNN reporting where that exact word was used. The incident highlights the current administrations general opposition to journalism and hostility towards mainstream media outlets. Early in the administration, the AP was banned from White House press briefings because the storied press organization refused to call the Gulf of Mexico the Gulf of America.The White House has instead let rightwing podcasters and conspiracy theorists attend press briefings, and they have predictably asked softball questions of the administration.Subscribe to theLGBTQ Nation newsletterand be the first to know about the latest headlines shaping LGBTQ+ communities worldwide.