On Friday, all three network morning shows began with anchors breathlessly declaring that President Trump’s son-in-law and White House adviser Jared Kushner was “under scrutiny” in the FBI’s Russia investigation. However, after offering the screaming salacious headlines, each broadcast quietly admitted that Kushner was not the target of the investigation nor was he accused of any wrongdoing.

Opening NBC’s Today, co-host Matt Lauer hyped: “Under scrutiny, President Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner, now part of the FBI’s Russia investigation.” Minutes later, fellow co-host Savannah Guthrie promised viewers there was “fresh turmoil facing the Trump administration.” Correspondent Peter Alexander further sensationalized the story: “Jared Kushner may be the closest adviser to the President, making him one of the most powerful people in this country....That means this investigation now reaches right next to the President.”

After touting how Kushner was “the only current White House official that’s known to be under scrutiny in the probe,” Alexander ominously warned: “Kushner’s position as both adviser and son-in-law putting the Russia probe not only inside the White House, but inside the President’s family circle.”

Now despite all of that over-the-top rhetoric treating the revelation like a Watergate-style bombshell, Alexander wrapped up the report by briefly acknowledging: “To be clear here, the U.S. officials say that Kushner is not a target of the investigation, he has not been accused of any wrongdoing.”

Talking to MSNBC’s Chief Legal Analyst Ari Melber, Guthrie wondered: “To say someone is ‘under scrutiny’ is kind of a vague term. What does it mean, what doesn’t it mean?” Melber explained: “It can be vague. It doesn’t mean that authorities want to charge this person.”

Even after throwing a wet blanket on the hysterical declarations at the top of the show, Melber still tried to gin up the story: “Well, it’s not good for the White House, because they have repeatedly said that there is no there, there....Ultimately, this is a White House that has tried to sweep this under the rug. This news suggests this story is alive.”

Leading off ABC’s Good Morning America, fill-in co-host and World News Tonight anchor David Muir proclaimed: “Also breaking, his son-in-law and top adviser Jared Kushner now caught in the cross-hairs of the Russia investigation.”

Turning to correspondent David Wright in the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour, Muir announced: “We've learned that under scrutiny now President Trump’s son-in-law, Ivanka Trump’s husband, Jared Kushner, and his contacts with the Russians...” Wright declared: “Jared Kushner is not just another White House staffer. He may well be the President’s closest adviser, the one guy in the inner circle who can’t be fired, so the fact that he’s now swept up in the Russia investigation puts this all uncomfortably close to the President.”

But again, just like Alexander, he was forced to admit just seconds later: “FBI sources tell ABC News Kushner is not accused of any wrongdoing, nor is he a target of their investigation.”

Earlier on the show, Chief White House Correspondent Jonathan Karl emphasized that point: “He is a person of interest to that FBI investigation. There is no indication whatsoever that he is a target of the investigation....It’s going to be a major distraction but its important to note, David, there is no indication that Jared Kushner is a target of this investigation.”

Finally, at the beginning of CBS This Morning, co-host Norah O’Donnell heralded: “President Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner is under FBI scrutiny as the Russia investigation reaches into the White House.” In the report that followed, correspondent Jeff Pegues amped up the coverage: “Jared Kushner is now under an FBI microscope....Investigators are scrutinizing his actions and interactions with Russian officials and whether they included something improper.”

The headline on screen blared: “Kushner & The Kremlin?; FBI Scrutinizes Trump Son-in-Law’s Ties to Russia.”

It only took a few minutes for co-host Charlie Rose to turn to down the volume: “What does this mean for Jared Kushner? Because The Washington Post, who first broke this story – CBS has confirmed and others – they say, the Post says he’s not been told – that he is not a target of the investigation or a focus of investigation. What is he?”

Face the Nation moderator John Dickerson replied: “Well, we don’t know because we don’t know the full scope of what the FBI has. But what we do know is that he is very, very close to the President, and so, there is a wonderful source of information.... even if he himself is not under any kind of pressure for anything that he specifically did.”

So simultaneously the Russia investigation “reaches into the White House,” but Kushner isn’t actually accused of anything and not a target of the investigation. Perhaps the network producers should have toned down the language of the misleading headlines they led their shows with.

Here are transcripts of the May 26 coverage on all three morning shows: