Britt McHenry, a former press adviser for the U.S. State Department who previously worked for the Trump administration, resigned from her position last week following a viral public confrontation with NBA fans. The incident occurred during a game between the Washington Wizards and the Milwaukee Bucks.
McHenry detailed the event in an Instagram video, claiming it began when a fan sitting in front of her made disparaging remarks about Winnie Harlow, the fiancée of former Wizards player Kyle Kuzma. McHenry stated the fan made comments about Harlow's appearance and skin condition.
According to McHenry, she made a sarcastic remark in response, which led to another fan telling her to be quiet. She recounted that this fan then directed a vulgar comment towards her, including an alleged remark about gang rape. In response, McHenry stated she threw her drink in the fan's direction and decided to leave the arena with her companion. As they exited, McHenry claims other fans threw items at them.
Video footage of the incident, obtained by TMZ, shows McHenry throwing a drink at a fan and subsequently leaving the Capital One Arena amid what appeared to be projectiles from other spectators. Following the confrontation, the primary agitator was ejected from the game.
McHenry, who had recently accepted the State Department role, described her intervention as an act of defending Winnie Harlow and herself. She had joined the diplomatic agency as a press advisor, working under Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and had expressed enthusiasm for the new chapter in her career after years as an on-camera journalist.
This incident marks the latest in a series of public controversies for McHenry, who previously worked as a reporter for ESPN before her departure in 2017. During her tenure at ESPN, she was suspended in 2015 after an altercation with a towing company clerk, an event for which she later apologized.