Former ESPN reporter Britt McHenry has resigned from her position as a press advisor at the U.S. Department of State following an altercation at a Washington Wizards game on October 21 at Capital One Arena. Video footage posted by TMZ shows McHenry throwing a drink toward a man after she says he made a "truly vile" comment to her during the Wizards' game against the Milwaukee Bucks.
According to McHenry, the incident began when a man seated in front of her made "egregiously loud" and "vile" remarks about Bucks forward Kyle Kuzma's fiancée, model Winnie Harlow, who has vitiligo. McHenry responded with a snarky comment, prompting the man to turn around and direct a profane insult at her. The situation escalated, and McHenry and her friend, identified as Andrew, briefly left their seats after an usher offered to relocate them. They returned, however, and McHenry says drinks were then thrown at them.
McHenry stated in a social media video that the "main agitator" made a comment about what should be done to her, allegedly referencing gang rape, at which point she threw the remainder of her beer in his direction and left the arena. Security footage shows McHenry speaking with a venue worker near an exit, appearing surprised when gestured to leave. Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns the Wizards and Capital One Arena, did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
McHenry worked at ESPN from 2014 to 2017 and later spent several years with Fox News. She announced in September that she had joined the State Department as a press advisor. Page Six reported that she was "forced to resign" the day after the incident, and McHenry confirmed to Front Office Sports that she signed a resignation letter. The State Department declined to comment on internal personnel matters. McHenry said she does not regret her actions, noting she was "sticking up for Winnie Harlow, a woman that I admire, and many women and young girls look up to" and for herself.
