 A direct message sent by CNN Chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta was widely mocked by conservatives late Thursday night. Jim: pic.twitter.com/KYWUmCFp2C — Matt’s Idea Shop (@MattsIdeaShop) October 19, 2018 
 
 UPDATE (2:15AM): Acosta offered this apology to Justin, telling him he thought he was an “old friend from the campaign days.” 
 
 Hey buddy I thought you were an old friend from the campaign days. I’m so sorry. Hope I didn’t offend you. Have a good night and take care. https://t.co/4u9fj1BNPI — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 19, 2018 
 
 Also Read: Jim Acosta to Haters: 'I'm Allowed to Care About This Country' (Video) 
 
 The imbroglio began after Justin Caporale, a GOP consultant and former aide to first lady Melania Trump, attempted to troll Acosta after the CNN reporter complained about loud music at a Trump campaign rally he was covering. “Tonight the Trump campaign/WH turned up the music so loud the press risers were vibrating,” said Acosta. “Nearly impossible to do live TV. I suppose the WH loves those kinds of shenanigans. But I wonder if it’s a security concern for USSS or local law enforcement. They can’t hear either.” 
 
 “Dear Diary…..” mocked Caporale. — Jim Acosta (@Acosta) October 19, 2018 
 
 And Justin Caporale — identified as the former director of operations for Melania Trump — trolled him with the following response: 
 
 Dear Diary….. — justin (@justincap_) October 19, 2018 
 
 Well, that apparently got under Acosta’s skin since Justin followed up the tweet with a screenshot from his DMs. Daily Caller reporter Peter Hasson, who was allowed access into Caporale’s Twitter account, confirmed that the message was real and offered by Acosta unsolicited.
– One of the reporters who tangles publicly with President Trump the most is himself in a bit of hot water over a tweet. Jim Acosta of CNN has apologized after tweeting "f--- you" (except he spelled it out) to a critic, reports Mediaite. Acosta also maintains that he mistook the person as an old friend, but not everyone is buying that. It all started Thursday night when Acosta tweeted a complaint that the Trump campaign turned up the music so loudly at a Trump rally that it was difficult to work—the implication being that it was deliberate. At that point, a former aide for Melania Trump, Justin Caporale, mocked Acosta with a tweet reading, "Dear Diary ..." That's when Acosta sent his controversial response—he did so in a private direct message, but Caporale then made it public. Acosta also blocked Caporale. As online criticism grew, and Caporale demanded an apology, Acosta responded: "Hey buddy I thought you were an old friend from the campaign days. I’m so sorry. Hope I didn’t offend you. Have a good night and take care." As the Wrap notes, the apology seems a bit odd given that Acosta also blocked Caporale, raising the question of why he would block a friend. Neither Acosta nor CNN has commented further. (Acosta also once tangled memorably with White House aide Stephen Miller.)