WATCH: Tim Burchett Loses His Patience, Eviscerates CNN Host: ‘That’s Why Your Ratings Are In The Tank, Ma’am’

Congressman Tim Burchett (R-TN) did not hold back during a heated exchange with CNN host Pamela Brown, calling out the network’s bias and dismissing her attempts to reframe the conversation. In a segment meant to discuss government spending and efficiency, Burchett exposed what he saw as CNN’s selective outrage, particularly when it came to Elon Musk and government waste under the Trump administration.

The discussion centered on the federal government’s efforts to cut costs and eliminate unnecessary jobs. Brown pushed back on the methods being used, arguing that the firings included nuclear weapons staffers who were later deemed essential.

She quoted University of Maryland professor Don Kettl, who compared the cuts to “going to a meat market, getting a piece of steak, and trying to cut out the fat with a sledgehammer.” Burchett, however, was not convinced by the argument, swiftly pivoting to CNN’s past failures in reporting government mismanagement.

“You had a nuclear person who was in charge of nuclear secrets. A man who dressed up as a woman would go into the airport and steal women’s luggage, was overseeing those nuclear secrets under the Biden administration. And I never heard you all say a peep about that,” Burchett said, referring to former Biden official Sam Brinton, who was arrested for stealing luggage at multiple airports.

“I don’t know anything about that I’ll be transparent,” Brown said.

Brown quickly dismissed Burchett’s point as unrelated, but the congressman was having none of it. “You need to look it up. It’s all over the internet,” he fired back.

“Humans will make mistakes, ma’am, but currently these are bloated programs,” Burchett said. “You have no-show employees that are angry that they’re having to go back to work. They’ve moved, and they’re not even in the business where their original jobs were.”

Brown attempted to claim that CNN had extensively covered government spending issues, but Burchett immediately shut that down. “No, you haven’t,” he said bluntly.

Then came the knockout blow.

“All y’all do is run down Elon Musk and Donald Trump, and you continuously do this, and that’s why your ratings are in the tank, ma’am,” Burchett said.

WATCH:

Brown, realizing she had lost control of the conversation, abruptly ended the segment. “All right, Congressman Tim Burchett, we’re going to leave it there,” she said, barely able to hide her frustration. “I do appreciate your time coming on and having this conversation.”

Created by executive order on the day of President Trump’s return to the presidency, the Department of Government Efficiency—known as DOGE—was launched as a temporary initiative to modernize federal technology and reduce waste. The department, established on Jan. 20, has positioned itself as a cost-cutting force within the federal government, boasting reported savings of $55 billion through fraud detection, contract cancellations, asset sales, and regulatory rollbacks.

A key figure associated with the initiative is Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur and outspoken advocate for government reform.

Since its inception, DOGE has pursued aggressive reductions across multiple agencies, including USAID, the Department of Education, the Office of Personnel Management, the Department of Health and Human Services, and the Department of Agriculture. The initiative has also faced legal challenges and internal resistance, with several high-ranking federal officials resigning or being dismissed after clashing with DOGE’s approach.

As DOGE continues to reshape federal operations, the debate over its impact—both financially and politically—remains far from settled.