CNN Star Skewers Trump’s Mouthpiece Over His Biggest Grudge

JIM WATSON / AFP via Getty Images CNN anchor Erin Burnett has torn into President Donald Trump’s new press secretary for spending her first briefing boasting about one of the president’s biggest obsessions as the midterms near.

On Tuesday’s OutFront , Burnett played a clip of Katie Zacharia’s first appearance at the White House podium.

In it, Zacharia, 41, answered only three questions and was visibly struggling while reading a script.

During one moment, the press secretary delved into one of the president’s favorite topics, saying voters were swarming to see Trump, 80.

“Attendance is at record highs as enthusiastic, hard-working Americans are lining up and packing arenas to support President Trump and Republicans,” Zacharia said, referencing Trump’s latest slate of rallies, which he hopes will lift the GOP as his approval rating sinks to record lows .

Burnett, 50, looked bemused as the clip ended.

“Trump needs an effective communicator.

There’s just 21 days before the election, obviously, and Katie Zacharia is focused on Trump’s crowd sizes,” the host said.

“If you could just take that, that obviously does not add up.

And it’s just an odd thing to be bringing up and emphasizing at this moment.” CNN then cut to footage from Trump’s Monday night rally in Ohio, where sections of the arena sat unfilled.

Burnett’s CNN colleague Kaitlan Collins had flagged the empty seats shortly after Trump’s appearance on Monday night.

Trump’s Rapid Response team labeled it “just more Fake News bulls--t” on Tuesday.

“At Trump’s rally last night in Ohio, large areas of the venue were empty,” Burnett said.

“And that includes areas that offered prime views of the president.” Trump has been insistent that his crowds are as big as ever.