'Left-Wing Hack' Reporter Feuding With Karoline Leavitt Fires Back on CNN: 'The President Lies!'

A HuffPost reporter who has been at odds with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt recently fired back at her claims that he is a "left-wing hack" during an appearance on CNN News Central. S.V. Date, the HuffPost's White House correspondent, rejected the label and told anchor Boris Sanchez that he would be "failing" his audience if he didn't point out President Donald Trump's repeated lies.

Leavitt had previously shared a screenshot of a text exchange with Date, in which she called him an unserious "far left hack" and asked him to stop sending her "disingenuous, biased, and bullsh*t questions." The X post also referred to Date as a "left-wing hack," further fueling the public feud between the two.

Date appeared on CNN News Central on Tuesday afternoon to discuss his recent exchange with Leavitt. When Sanchez asked for his response to Leavitt's claims, Date said that he was not interested in "stenography" while covering Trump. "I routinely say that the president lies — he does," Date said. "What can I do? That’s who he is." Date added that he doesn't apologize for pointing out the president's lies, stating "So I don’t apologize for that at all."

Sanchez noted earlier in their conversation that Date had written a book in 2020 titled The Useful Idiot: How Donald Trump Killed the Republican Party With Racism and the Rest of Us With Coronavirus. The title is an old Russian phrase about people who do things because they're being used by others, and Sanchez explained that it seemed to capture the dynamic between Trump's administration and its handling of racism and coronavirus.

Date's appearance on CNN News Central comes a day after Leavitt shared the screenshot of their text exchange. Her X post also called Date a "left-wing hack," but Date has continued to push back against her characterization, arguing that he is simply doing his job as a journalist by pointing out the truth about Trump's lies.

Date's X account includes a pinned post from 2023 that reads: “As a journalist, it’s not my job to tell you who to vote for. As a journalist, IT IS my job to warn you that if we vote Donald Trump back into office, it may be the last vote we ever cast.” The post also includes a link to purchase Date's book, Useful Idiot, on Amazon.

While some might see Date's response as petty or attention-seeking, it's clear that he is driven by a desire to hold those in power accountable for their actions. By repeatedly pointing out Trump's lies and flaws, Date hopes to inform his audience and encourage them to make informed decisions about who they vote for.

In an era where trust in institutions is at an all-time low, it's refreshing to see someone like S.V. Date standing up for the truth and refusing to compromise his principles, even if it means ruffling a few feathers along the way.