Donald Trump is facing renewed accusations of sexism following a heated confrontation with a CNN reporter during a White House event on Tuesday.
The clash involved CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, who pressed the president with questions about the latest disclosures connected to Jeffrey Epstein and the experiences of survivors. Tensions escalated as Collins asked why the administration was downplaying concerns raised by victims, particularly over heavily redacted Justice Department documents.
The exchange began when Collins pointed out that Trump’s attempt to frame the Epstein revelations as politically damaging only to Democrats was weakened by the files themselves. The documents reportedly referenced Epstein’s associations with figures close to Trump, including Elon Musk and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Trump dismissed the suggestion, saying he had not reviewed the friendly emails exchanged between Epstein and those individuals and claimed that, if anything improper existed, it would have already dominated the news cycle. For a deeper look into Epstein’s connections and Trump’s allies, see Melania’s email to Ghislaine and Putin’s involvement in the Epstein files.
When Collins shifted the focus to Epstein’s survivors, noting that many were frustrated by extensive redactions—some entire witness interviews reportedly blacked out—Trump appeared eager to shut the conversation down. He said the country should “move on,” arguing that nothing in the disclosures implicated him personally. The unfolding drama and Trump’s confrontational style have been documented in multiple reports, including his attacks on CNN and comments on Melania’s fears after his confrontations.
Collins pressed further, asking what message he had for survivors who felt justice had not been served.
Visibly irritated, Trump demanded that she repeat the question. When she did, he launched into a sharp personal attack, calling her “the worst reporter” and criticizing CNN’s ratings. He then made remarks about her demeanor, telling Republican lawmakers gathered in the room that he had never seen her smile, before turning back to Collins and accusing her of dishonesty.
Trump went on to condemn CNN as an organization, saying it should be “ashamed,” while the exchange continued to unfold in front of the press corps. The moment quickly spread online, raising questions about why other reporters did not intervene. For coverage of the media’s reactions and related political fallout, see CNN interrupted for Trump alert and Fox News viewers fact-check Trump claims.
One social media user summed up the frustration by asking when White House reporters would start defending their female colleagues, noting that similar confrontations have occurred for years.
This was not the first time Trump clashed with Collins. In 2020, he abruptly walked out of a press conference after she declined to help him regain control of the room from another reporter whose question he had labeled “nasty.” For context on the pattern of confrontations, see Trump accused of having no respect for female reporters.
The incident has reignited debate about press freedom, gender dynamics in political journalism, and whether confrontational tactics toward female reporters have become normalized in high-profile political settings. Related coverage can be found in Trump health and stress concerns and public reactions to the Epstein files.
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