A routine White House signing event quickly turned into a heated exchange when former President Donald Trump and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins clashed over her network’s credibility. The confrontation unfolded as Trump was finalizing a new reciprocal tariff policy, designed to align U.S. import taxes with those of other nations.
Interruptions and Sharp Remarks
As Trump prepared to place his signed document on the desk, Collins jumped in with a question about whether the tariffs would drive up costs for Americans. Before she could finish, Trump cut her off.
“Excuse me. We haven’t asked you to speak yet, please,” he shot back, setting the tone for a tense interaction.
Though Trump later opened the floor for questions, he initially bypassed Collins, calling on other reporters instead. When she finally got her turn, she pressed further, asking whether Americans should brace for “short-term pain.”
Trump quickly rejected the premise of her question. “No, you said that. I didn’t say that. We’ll see what happens. Nobody really knows what is going to happen,” he responded.
Clashing Over Putin and CNN’s Credibility
The exchange escalated further when the conversation shifted to Russian President Vladimir Putin. Another reporter asked Trump if he believed Putin truly wanted peace.
“Yeah, I do,” Trump replied. “I believe he wants peace. I believe that President Putin—when I spoke to him yesterday, I mean, I know him very well—yeah, I think he wants peace.”
Collins then challenged Trump directly, asking if he trusted Putin. Instead of addressing her question head-on, Trump used the moment to redirect blame toward President Joe Biden.
“This should have been done by Biden years ago. This should have never been allowed to happen,” he said before taking a swipe at Collins and CNN. “I know [Biden is] a friend of yours. He’s a friend of CNN. That’s why nobody watches CNN anymore. Because they have no credibility.”
Social Media Backlash Over Collins’ Coverage
Collins’ handling of Trump’s return to the White House has sparked criticism online, with some accusing her of exaggerating political concerns. Over the weekend, she warned that the U.S. was “dangerously close to a constitutional crisis” following Trump’s public challenge to the judicial branch.
“We are three weeks into the second Trump presidency. Three weeks. And tonight, there are warnings that the U.S. is dangerously close to a constitutional crisis,” she stated on air.
Her comments, particularly in response to Trump appointing billionaire Elon Musk to head the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), triggered strong reactions on social media. Some users dismissed her remarks as fearmongering, while others mocked her for what they saw as over-the-top commentary.
“Kaitlan Collins can’t tell the difference between a Constitutional Crisis & a Democrat full-blown meltdown over Trump getting things done that he said he was going to do before the election,” one post read.
Complaints About the Nonstop News Cycle
In a separate interview on “Late Night with Seth Meyers,” Collins seemed to express exhaustion over the round-the-clock nature of covering Trump’s presidency. She contrasted it with what she described as the calmer Biden years.
“It is insane,” she said. “I think everyone is kind of like readjusting and re-remembering what it was like four years ago—pre-four years ago.”
Recalling a New York Times article about the early Biden presidency, she noted how weekends had felt quieter back then. “Now we’re back to that. Basically, where it’s just essentially nonstop every day.”
What’s Next?
As Trump continues to push forward with his policies and media battles, the friction between his administration and CNN is unlikely to ease anytime soon. With Collins maintaining a critical stance and Trump repeatedly targeting the network, their clashes will likely remain a defining feature of his presidency’s media landscape.