CNN’s Clarissa Ward Was Called a “Complete Freak” for Dancing—Her Response Was “Dancing Is Good for the Soul”

Tracey Johnson Wed, August 12, 2026 at 8:00 PM UTC

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The CNN correspondent shared a playful moment while traveling for her latest assignment. (Image source: Instagram/@ClarissaWardCNN)

Clarissa Ward, who isCNN’s chief international correspondent, was apparently in a very good mood when she was on her way to a new assignment. Then the White House decided to make her dancing video a political issue.

Ward shared a playful video on Instagram as she appeared to travel toward Mallorca, Spain, where she was going to cover the total solar eclipse.

The video was something completely different from the serious reporting viewers usually associate with Ward. She danced through a transit hub, moved along on a train, pulled faces for the camera and shared a lighthearted moment with two CNN colleagues. She even managed to included a quick vape break before greeting her coworkers with a hug.

The mood was clearly meant to be fun as Ward even teased her followers about the assignment and suggested there were clues in the video about what she was going to cover.

All was going well until Trump’s Rapid Response 47 account got involved and brought down the mood.

The White House Had Something to Say

They reposted Ward’s video and then attacked her for behaving that way in public.

“Complete freak in public” was some of the language they used to describe her, while speaking about negatively about the post.

They penned, “Imagine being a self-described ‘serious’ journalist at CNN and acting like a complete freak in public, embarrassing yourself all for some social media clicks.” And then they added, “Honey, nobody wants to watch that hot mess.”

The account attacked a video that showed Ward enjoying herself while traveling for work, and they took issue with it.

Ward’s original caption had a very different tone. She wrote about getting an assignment that was “just good fun” and joked with followers about guessing what she was preparing to cover.

She wrote, “Feeling PUMPED! Can you tell? 🤣💃🤪 Drinks on me for anyone who can guess what I’m going to cover. Actually, there are some pretty blatant clues in there so you might have to settle for a like.”

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She also encouraged people to enjoy themselves rather than worry too much about looking silly.

After the White House berated her , Ward posted a short response that hit home.

Ward’s reminder put soul first

“Dancing is good for the soul,” she wrote when she replied to the administration’s message. And it was that line that had netizens defending her case online.

Many people defended Ward, pointing out that her usual work involves reporting from some of the world’s most serious and dangerous places. “You’re an excellent reporter, most people don’t see you on TV unless there are literal bombs dropping around you… I think you’ve more than earned the right to let loose!!” one user wrote.

Another penned, “You are a fantastic reporter/journalist. Glad you are having a moment of fun and mirth!” While a third shared, “You’ve been to some scary places, and report with integrity. I love this. Shake your groove thing.”

Others were less impressed and called the video attention-seeking or embarrassing, saying that Ward should know what to keep private and what to share with the world.

As for the The White House, they have a history of clashes with journalists, especially from CNN. One reporter Trump repeatedly bashes is Kaitlan Collins, who is the chief White House correspondent.

Ward kept things simple and classy when she offered just six words to the White House’s tirade. “Dancing is good for the soul,” she said.

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Original Article on Source

Source: “AOL Entertainment”