White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt criticized CNN for airing an interview with a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, a notorious Mexican drug cartel, calling the segment “despicable.” In a conversation with Fox News Channel anchor Sean Hannity, Leavitt condemned CNN for traveling to Mexico to secure a rare interview with the cartel member, accusing the network of giving a “softball interview” to a person linked to significant violence and drug trafficking.
Leavitt’s Criticism of CNN’s Cartel Interview
Leavitt expressed her outrage after discovering that CNN had interviewed a member of the Sinaloa Cartel, which was designated as a terrorist organization by the U.S. government during President Donald Trump’s second term. Leavitt emphasized her concerns about the platform given to the cartel member, whose identity and location were kept confidential for safety reasons.
“I thought it was quite despicable, but again, this is just another reason why the trust in the legacy media is at an all-time low amongst the American public,” Leavitt said. She added that CNN’s decision to give the cartel member a platform was a major contributor to the erosion of public confidence in the media.
Details of the Sinaloa Cartel Interview
The interview aired on May 2, 2025, between CNN correspondent Isobel Yeung and the masked Sinaloa Cartel member, who produces fentanyl in Sinaloa, Mexico. In the conversation, the cartel member responded to questions about his cartel’s involvement in the ongoing opioid crisis in the U.S.
When asked about Trump’s designation of his cartel as a foreign terrorist organization, the cartel member gave a nonchalant reply, saying, “Well, the situation is ugly. But we have to eat.”
Yeung then asked him for a message to President Trump, to which he responded, “My respect. According to him, he’s looking out for his people, but the problem is that the consumers are [in the United States].” He continued, “If there aren’t any consumers, we would stop.”
Leavitt’s Concerns Over CNN’s Approach
Leavitt’s criticism extended to the nature of the questions posed during the interview, which she described as being overly lenient on the cartel member. “It was a softball interview giving a platform to a notorious drug cartel that has killed American citizens,” Leavitt stated. She expressed her concerns over the cartel’s influence in the U.S. and its role in the death toll related to the fentanyl crisis.
While the interview did include a moment where the cartel member expressed regret for the violence and fear associated with his actions, Leavitt argued that the tone of the conversation was too forgiving.
“Of course. Things are sad, but well, things are sad,” the cartel member said when asked about remorse for the violence his cartel caused in local communities.
The Fallout from the Interview
The fallout from this interview adds to the ongoing debates surrounding media responsibility in covering topics like drug cartels and violence. Critics of CNN’s decision argue that the network’s platforming of a cartel member without substantial accountability only fuels the perception of a soft approach to criminal activity.
Conclusion
Karoline Leavitt’s public condemnation of CNN for its decision to air an interview with a Sinaloa Cartel member underscores the ongoing struggle over how media outlets should handle coverage of drug cartels and violence. As concerns about media bias and the role of legacy outlets continue to grow, interviews like this one only add fuel to the fire of public distrust.
