CNN anchor and chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins shared her response to President Donald Trump’s insults during and after the White House Correspondents Dinner. Collins, who received an award at the event, emphasized her focus on her work, stating, It’s really not about me.
In a preview clip for an interview with Jon Stewart on The Daily Show, set to air Monday night, Collins expressed her perspective. I don’t want it to be about my reaction,
she said. If you let it become about that, then it becomes a back and forth between the two of us. Instead, it’s more effective to remind people about the question I asked or the reporting that upset him. The fact that I received an award for it clearly bothered him. In those moments, it’s important to focus on the work, the question, and the non-answers we receive.
Newsweek reached out to the White House for comment via email on Monday night.
Highlights from the Correspondents’ Dinner
During the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump targeted Collins in his remarks, alleging that she never smiles
while he spoke to the audience. This comment continued Trump’s pattern of criticizing Collins, who frequently engages him with pressing questions during press briefings. Trump also labeled the award Collins won as fake,
though he offered congratulations.
On Truth Social, Trump continued his focus on Collins by sharing an AI-generated image. The image altered a Bud Light ad featuring transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney, replacing Mulvaney’s face with Collins’. This manipulated image was one of several AI-generated posts from Trump, underscoring his ongoing attention on the CNN journalist after her correspondents’ dinner remarks.
Trump’s Tensions with Female Journalists
This recent exchange illustrates a broader pattern of Trump’s public confrontations with female journalists. Collins has consistently faced criticism from the president, who has labeled her the worst reporter.
Other journalists, like ABC News’ Mary Bruce, Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey, and CBS News’ Nancy Cordes, have also encountered personal critiques after challenging Trump with probing questions on various issues.
This is a developing story and will be updated with more details as they emerge.