President Donald Trump sharply criticized CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins during an exchange in the Oval Office on Wednesday, accusing both the reporter and her network of unfair coverage while taking questions from the press.
The confrontation began when Collins asked Trump about the status of the Justice Department’s proposed $1.776 billion “anti-weaponization fund,” an initiative intended to compensate individuals who the administration argues were targeted through politically motivated legal actions. The proposal has faced resistance from some Republicans on Capitol Hill.
Trump responded by defending the idea and quickly shifted his focus to the media.
“I thought that was the greatest thing,” Trump said, referring to potential payments for people he believes were victims of what he describes as lawfare. He then accused journalists, including Collins, of unfairly targeting political opponents.
When Collins attempted to follow up, Trump interrupted her and continued his criticism.
“Be quiet … you should be ashamed of yourself,” Trump said. “You used to be a conservative.”
The president also referenced Collins’ Alabama roots and criticized CNN’s coverage more broadly.
“She used to be a conservative from Alabama. Can you believe it?” Trump said. “But CNN, in particular CNN, does such false reporting.”
Trump went on to suggest that changes in the network’s ownership could eventually affect its reporting, though he expressed skepticism that meaningful changes would occur.
Collins did not engage with most of the president’s remarks. Her only response during the exchange was to note that she remains from Alabama.
Earlier in the event, Trump had also directed criticism toward both Collins and CNN, calling the network “a very corrupt organization.” He continued by singling out the correspondent personally.
“Young, beautiful woman, never smiles,” Trump said. “I never see a smile on her face.”
He added, “I see her standing with such hatred in her eyes.”
Following the exchange, a CNN spokesperson defended Collins and praised her work covering the White House.
“Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional journalist, reporting every day from the White House and the field with real depth and tenacity,” the spokesperson said in a statement. “She skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day, which audiences around the world know they can trust.”
Collins began her journalism career as an entertainment reporter before later serving as a White House correspondent for The Daily Caller. She joined CNN in 2017, where she covered Trump’s first administration and eventually became one of the network’s leading White House reporters and anchors.
The latest exchange continues a long-running and often contentious relationship between Trump and members of the press. Collins has frequently been a target of the president’s criticism during news conferences and public appearances. Trump has previously referred to her as CNN’s “worst reporter.”
The incident also follows other high-profile clashes between Trump and female journalists. In recent months, he criticized New York Times reporter Katie Rogers and Bloomberg News reporter Catherine Lucey during separate public exchanges.
