A newly appointed U.S. State Department press adviser has come under public scrutiny after video emerged showing her throwing a drink towards a spectator during an NBA game in Washington, amid conflicting accounts of what triggered the confrontation.

Britt McHenry, a former ESPN reporter who joined the State Department in September, was captured in footage from Thursday night’s Washington Wizards-Milwaukee Bucks game at Capital One Arena throwing a beverage towards someone in the crowd before leaving the venue.

According to Newsweek, which reported the incident on October 22, sources close to McHenry alleged that the confrontation began after spectators made offensive remarks about model Winnie Harlow, who is engaged to former Wizards player Kyle Kuzma, now with the Milwaukee Bucks.

The sources further alleged that McHenry and her male companion were subjected to misogynistic comments and that objects were thrown at them. However, the allegations have not been independently verified, and the footage does not establish what happened immediately before the drink was thrown.

The video also shows McHenry interacting with an arena employee before a man in a suit approaches. As she leaves, she blows a kiss towards the crowd and is later seen arguing with a security guard, asking, “What did I do?”

The incident has drawn attention partly because of McHenry’s new government role and her previous career in broadcast journalism. She announced her appointment on Instagram, expressing gratitude for the opportunity to serve at the United States’ principal diplomatic institution.

Before joining the Trump administration, McHenry worked as a news anchor for Fox News and FOX 5 DC and as a journalist for The Spectator. She also spent more than three years covering sports for ESPN.

The latest incident has revived attention to a previous controversy involving McHenry. In 2015, a video showing her berating an employee at a towing company attracted widespread criticism, prompting ESPN to suspend her for one week.

McHenry has also spoken publicly about her health. In February 2020, she was diagnosed with a brain tumour and underwent surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital the following month to remove a large grade 2 astrocytoma from her left frontal lobe, Newsweek reported.

The publication said it contacted McHenry and the State Department for comment following the latest incident. Its report did not establish what led to the confrontation or independently confirm the claims made by sources close