During a recent media briefing in the Oval Office, U.S. President Donald Trump blasted CNN’s White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins.
Since then, the exchange between the two has gone viral on social media, with many MAGA supporters applauding Trump’s criticism of the journalist and her network.
When Collins questioned Trump about Russian President Vladimir Putin, tensions between them started.
Trump is determined to attempt to resolve the Russian-Ukrainian war, and he recently spoke with Putin over the phone.
Trump has declared on numerous occasions that Putin shares Trump’s desire for peace and wants the war to stop.
When asked if Putin genuinely wants peace, Trump responded, “I think he wants peace.”
After speaking with President Putin yesterday, I firmly believe that he wants peace since I know him well.
If he didn’t, I believe he would tell me because he wants to see peace.
Collins allegedly interrupted Trump while he was responding to this query by asking, “Do you trust President Putin?”
Trump did not respond to this query.
“I know [Biden is] a friend of yours,” he lashed back instead.
The president then took some time to criticize CNN after saying this.
CNN has always been a target for Trump.
Trump frequently attacked the cable news network throughout his first term in office, even going so far as to refer to them as “fake news.”
Trump’s anger for the network Collins works for was rekindled during their brief altercation.
He is CNN’s pal.
CNN is no longer watched by anyone because of this.
In reference to former President Joe Biden and CNN, Trump stated, “Because they lack credibility.”
It’s interesting to note that even Collins’s coworkers and seasoned journalists in the room took notice of Trump’s attack on her.
There were a lot of laughs after he insulted her.
Trump also took the time to blame the former president for starting the conflict between Russia and Ukraine after Collins posed this query.
“Biden ought to have taken this action years ago. Trump asserted that this should never have been permitted.
The History of Trump and Kaitlan Collins
Collins also appeared to irritate Trump during his first term because of her incisive inquiries.
As a result of his long-standing animosity with CNN, Trump has also engaged in a few minor arguments with Collins.
The president’s battle with Collins seems to have continued exactly where they left off now that he is back in the White House for a second term.
The president has only been in office for about a month, and this isn’t the first time Trump has attacked Collins this year.
Following the DC aircraft disaster last month, the two got into a fight.
Collins got an opportunity to ask Trump about his prior remarks while he was responding to inquiries from reporters regarding this tragedy.
Trump implied that DEI hiring methods were to blame shortly after the helicopter was reported to have crashed into a commercial jet in midair.
Collins questioned him about these divisive remarks.
“Does your criticism of DEI policies reassure [the victims’] family?” Collins questioned the president.
This question obviously did not sit well with Trump.
He answered, “I don’t think that’s a very smart question.”
“I’m surprised, coming from you,” he said.
Collins and Trump Quarrel About Tariffs
President Trump and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins engaged in another altercation in the Oval Office while Trump was issuing orders for reciprocal tariffs.
The same day that Trump attacked CNN and Collins, this also happened.
Trump claims that these tariffs will guarantee that U.S. levies are comparable to those in other nations.
Collins questioned whether these tariffs would increase the cost of items for average Americans immediately after signing these measures.
Trump’s proposed tariffs, especially these reciprocal duties, will raise prices for American people, according to numerous analysts.
These tariffs may result in price increases for even common grocery store items.
Trump himself has even predicted this will occur in earlier interviews.
The president has asserted, meanwhile, that Americans will only have to endure this hardship for a brief period of time.
“Mr. President, you won the White House in part because of high inflation, if your tariffs make prices go up,” Collins yelled in the Oval Office.
Then Trump abruptly interrupted, adding, “Pardon me.
Please remember that we haven’t yet asked you to speak.
Indeed, Trump ran on the economy.
Trump frequently criticized former President Biden’s administration throughout the 2024 presidential campaign, accusing them of being responsible for the rising cost of groceries.
Since then, a number of commentators have publicly stated that the economy was the sole reason why Trump defeated former Vice President Kamala Harris in the presidential contest.
According to some analysts, these tariffs have the potential to worsen the state of the American economy.
When Trump was prepared to field questions in this most recent confrontation with Collins, he responded to a couple of them before Collins could ask, “So Americans should prepare for some short-term pain?”
Trump disagreed with Collins’ perspective, despite having stated this previously.
“No, that is what you stated.
That’s not what I stated,” Trump claimed.
“We’ll observe the situation.
Nobody can truly predict what will occur.
On X, MAGA Follows Collins
Collins has gained a lot of attention on social media since his recent conflicts with Trump, particularly on X, the former name for Twitter.
Since Trump has returned to the White House, MAGA has had numerous reasons to target Collins.
Most recently, though, Trump supporters on social media have made fun of the CNN reporter for her interpretation of Trump’s mugshot.
Collins recently discussed the intriguing fact that Trump has placed his mugshot at the White House.
“I don’t think we’ve ever had a mugshot hanging outside the Oval Office before, and we’ve never had a US president with one,” she remarked.
MAGA has attacked the reporter online for her remarks regarding Trump’s mugshot and her arguments with the president on a number of topics in recent weeks.
Many started implying that she was the “female Jim Acosta” on X.
Acosta and Trump also infamously had a tense relationship throughout the first term of the president.
As a White House correspondent at the time, Acosta frequently asked Trump uncomfortable questions.
Trump attacked the reporter on several occasions and even attempted to cancel his press credentials in retribution.
The journalist’s pass could only be reinstated by a court.
During Trump’s first term, Acosta and his efforts were endorsed by many leftists.
Acosta’s propensity to produce viral moments with the president even earned him a CNN show of his own.
It was rather unexpected that Acosta was fired from CNN shortly after Trump was sworn in.
Many MAGA fans are now angry at Collins because Acosta was not present on a major news channel to challenge Trump.
Not in a flattering light, many Trump supporters have implied that Collins’ presence in the White House press room is solely due to the fact that she asks Trump in a manner similar to that of Acosta.
Her interpretation of Trump’s mug photo hanging near the Oval Office caused serious resentment among other MAGA members.
Collins received harsh criticism from these followers, who advised her to put her attention on other matters rather than Trump’s mug image.
An Intense Situation Between Leavitt and Collins
Not all of Collins’ interactions with the president have been tense.
Additionally, she recently got into a heated disagreement with Karoline Leavitt, the press secretary for the White House.
Collins questioned Leavitt about AP reporters’ bans from the Oval Office and other official events, which led to this conversation.
Due to the AP’s refusal to adopt the term “Gulf of America,” the Trump administration recently took the extraordinary step of excluding the news outlet from attending several White House events.
Rather, as a global publication, they are opting to keep using “Gulf of Mexico.”
The AP has asserted that the White House is retaliating against their First Amendment right to free speech after Trump’s administration retaliated against their position.
“Which White House official decided to bar the AP reporter from the Oval Office and the diplomatic reception room last night?” Collins asked Leavitt about this.
Leavitt answered instantly.
In the first place, let me correct the record, Leavitt stated.
Covering this White House is an honor.
No one has the right to enter the Oval Office and question the President of the United States; being the White House press secretary is a privilege.
That is an invitation extended.
Even after Leavitt stated that an AP reporter was present in the briefing room but wasn’t asked a question, Collins didn’t seem to be happy with this response.
“Isn’t it inherently retaliatory?” Collins enquired.
“Is this establishing a precedent that the White House will harm reporters who don’t use the language you guys think is appropriate?”
Following this, the two argued back and forth, with Collins wondering how this wasn’t a First Amendment issue.
Many MAGA supporters objected to Collins asking Leavitt such a question. Liberals, meanwhile, supported the confrontation.