Britt McHenry, the former ESPN host who recently joined the US State Department as a press adviser, has reportedly been pushed to resign by the Trump administration following a confrontation with spectators at a Washington Wizards game earlier this week.
The New York Post was the first to report the move, describing it as a forced resignation. The Daily Mail has sought confirmation with McHenry. The White House referred The Daily Mail to the State Department, which has not yet responded to a request for comment.
The Post reported that McHenry, 40, was responsible for press matters surrounding corruption allegations that prompted Kimberly Guilfoyle to step down as US ambassador to Greece. She also advised on media issues involving Europe and Africa, according to the newspaper.
McHenry was attending the Wizards’ season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks when the incident unfolded at Capital One Arena.
Video obtained by TMZ appeared to show McHenry standing and throwing a drink at a nearby fan before swiftly leaving the arena.
As she made her exit, other spectators seated nearby appeared to throw objects in her direction.
Britt McHenry, the former ESPN host who recently accepted a position as a US State Department press adviser, has reportedly been forced to resign by the Trump administration
McHenry recently joined the Trump administration as the US State Department press advisor
According to the outlet, the altercation reportedly began after McHenry intervened when fans sitting behind her made disparaging comments about Bucks star Kyle Kuzma’s fiancée, Winnie Harlow, who has vitiligo.
A source cited by Page Six said the fans claimed Kuzma played poorly because his girlfriend was “ugly,” along with making other “terrible” remarks.
The source said McHenry asked one of the hecklers to “ease up,” after which the fan allegedly redirected the taunts toward the former ESPN presenter.
According to the account, the male spectator then directed “misogynistic” insults at McHenry and allegedly threw a drink at her. She responded by throwing a drink back.
TMZ’s footage showed McHenry tossing the drink before leaving her seat. Several objects were then seen flying toward her as she walked away.
Although other spectators appeared to throw items at her, McHenry remained composed, blowing kisses and waving to the crowd as she departed.
Her demeanor appeared to shift in the concourse, where she was captured in a heated exchange with a staff member who was directing her toward the exit.
A TMZ source close to McHenry disputed the suggestion that she had been ejected, saying she left voluntarily and intended to go to a bar.
A source claimed that McHenry intervened after overhearing fans making disparaging remarks about Winnie Harlow – fiancée of Bucks star Kyle Kuzma – who has vitiligo
The reported resignation comes just over a month after McHenry announced that she had accepted a role as a press adviser at the diplomatic agency, working under Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
She revealed the appointment in a social media post featuring a photograph of herself beside the official seal in the White House Press Briefing Room in Washington.
“It is true,” McHenry wrote on X. “I am honored to serve as a newly appointed press advisor to the State Department, our country’s highest diplomatic institution. Proud to serve for and work alongside some truly incredible people.”
In a separate LinkedIn post, McHenry wrote: “I am beyond excited to start this new chapter today and am thankful to every person who helped me in pursuing and achieving this opportunity.”
‘For 17 years, I have worked on camera covering the news. Now, I get to take that experience and apply it to our country’s highest diplomatic agency.
‘As a fellow Floridian, I have followed and admired Secretary Marco Rubio’s political career from its inception to the outstanding leadership he shows today in the Administration,’ McHenry wrote.
‘He has appointed an exceptional staff, and I look forward to serving them and our nation.’
McHenry, a former ESPN host of Arlington, Virginia, alleged that for months in 2018 that Tyrus sent her sexually explicit text messages as they both worked on their show Un-PC
The appointment marks the latest chapter in a turbulent media career that has seen McHenry frequently entangled in high-profile workplace scandals and legal battles.
She spent three years as a Washington DC-based reporter for ESPN before being fired in 2017 during a sweeping round of company layoffs.
During her tenure at ESPN, McHenry made headlines in 2015 when she was suspended after security footage caught her berating a towing company clerk.
She later issued an apology, admitting that she ‘allowed my emotions to get the best of me’ during an intense moment.
Following her ESPN exit, McHenry transitioned toward right-wing political commentary, making appearances on Fox News Media and Fox 5 DC.