Britt McHenry is out of the Trump administration after a viral video showed her throwing a drink at a fan during an NBA game in Washington, D.C. The former ESPN reporter resigned from her position as a State Department press adviser following the confrontation, bringing her brief government career to an abrupt end.
McHenry confirmed on Friday, October 23, that she signed a resignation letter. Her departure came after footage of the incident at the Washington Wizards and Milwaukee Bucks game on Wednesday, October 21, circulated across social media.
The Britt McHenry resignation reportedly happened Thursday, less than 24 hours after she received a promotion.
Page Six first reported her departure, citing a source familiar with the situation who claimed McHenry was required to step down because of the incident.
“She was forced to resign [over the incident],” the source told Page Six. “She was promoted and fired within 24 hours.”
McHenry had joined the State Department in September, initially serving as a press adviser covering Europe and Africa. Page Six reported that she was promoted Wednesday to lead External Affairs & Press for Under Secretary Jacob Helberg’s team.
Her reported promotion happened on the same day she attended the Wizards’ home opener at Capital One Arena, where an argument with spectators escalated into a confrontation involving thrown drinks.
TMZ obtained footage showing McHenry arguing with people seated behind her before picking up a beverage and throwing it toward a male spectator. The situation became increasingly heated as other fans shouted at her and arena personnel became involved.
Additional footage published by TMZ showed spectators calling for McHenry to leave the section. Some could be heard chanting “Get her out!” while others directed insults toward her.
The second video also appeared to show someone throwing a beverage in McHenry’s direction before she responded by tossing a drink toward the crowd.
However, sources close to McHenry claimed the confrontation began after spectators seated behind her made offensive remarks about model Winnie Harlow, who is engaged to Milwaukee Bucks player Kyle Kuzma.
According to TMZ, those sources alleged that the spectators were making “inappropriate and misogynistic things” in comments directed at McHenry, in addition to remarks about Harlow.
The sources also claimed that objects were thrown at McHenry during the dispute.
Page Six provided additional details about the alleged exchange, reporting that a spectator had been criticizing Kuzma’s basketball performance while insulting Harlow’s appearance.
“They were saying he plays terribly because his girlfriend’s ugly,” a source told the outlet.
According to that account, McHenry confronted the spectator and asked him to ease up. The situation allegedly intensified when the group redirected its comments toward her.
The allegations about what sparked the argument have not been independently established by the publicly released footage. The videos document portions of the confrontation but do not confirm every exchange described by the anonymous sources.
As McHenry exited the seating area, spectators continued booing and tossing rally towels in her direction. TMZ footage showed her waving and blowing kisses toward the crowd while walking up the arena stairs.
Another recording captured her speaking with security personnel near the arena exit.
“What did I do?” McHenry asked as a security guard directed her toward the doors.
Sources close to McHenry disputed reports that she had been removed from the venue. They told TMZ she voluntarily left her seat to visit a bar and that her male companion remained behind.
Page Six, however, reported that McHenry was escorted out following the confrontation.
The Wizards defeated the Bucks 128 to 116 that evening, but the altercation generated headlines beyond the basketball game.
By Friday, attention had shifted from the viral footage to McHenry’s employment status.
The latest controversy comes years after McHenry faced professional consequences over another confrontation captured on video.
Before entering politics, Britt McHenry worked as an NFL reporter for ESPN from 2014 until 2017. She later transitioned into political commentary, working with Fox News and Fox Nation before joining the State Department.
In April 2015, ESPN suspended McHenry for one week after footage surfaced showing her insulting an employee at a towing company in Arlington, Virginia.
According to the Los Angeles Times, McHenry made disparaging remarks about the employee’s education, appearance, and employment after her vehicle was towed.
“That’s why I have a degree, and you don’t,” McHenry said in the recording.
She also told the employee, “Lose some weight, baby girl.”
Following the backlash, McHenry publicly apologized for her conduct.
“In an intense and stressful moment, I allowed my emotions to get the best of me and said some insulting and regrettable things,” she wrote at the time.
McHenry left ESPN in 2017 amid broader layoffs at the network. Page Six reported that she revisited the towing company controversy in 2024, claiming the footage had been heavily edited while defending aspects of her behavior.
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