Chief national security correspondent Alex Marquardt denied that his report about security contractor Zachary Young was a “hit piece.”

As the trial in Florida enters its second week, attorneys for Zachary Young, the security consultant named in the CNN story, tried to paint the network as engaging in “theater.”

The rare defamation trial against a media company comes as CNN is looking to slash spending as its ratings plunge.

Alex Marquardt was pressed on Monday about his efforts to dig up dirt on the Navy veteran suing CNN for defamation, undercutting CNN’s defense that the plaintiff was not a central focus of the report.