A question to Donald Trump today from Kaitlan Collins about the recently released and heavily redacted Epstein Files really got under POTUS’ notoriously thin skin. The immediate result was an unhinged Trump once again demeaning the CNN anchor as she asked him about the millions of pages of documents and reactions from survivors of the deceased pedophile.
“You are the worst reporter,” Trump barked in the Oval Office at the CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent and The Source anchor. No wonder CNN has no ratings, because of people like you.”
As various administration officials and other members of the press stood by saying nothing, the former Apprentice host continued: “You know, she’s a young woman. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. I’ve known you for 10 years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile in your face. You know why? You know why you’re not smiling, because you know you’re not telling the truth and you’re you’re a very dishonest organization, and they should be ashamed of you.”
Before Collins could get another word in about Epstein victims and administration figures named in the sporadically redacted files, Trump moved on to a question from another journalist. Soon afterwards, as reporters were hustled out of the room by White House press aides, Trump could be heard on complainig about Collins.
Besides the latest insult to Collins, who Trump called “stupid and nasty” in December 2025, it is telling of where he is really art by what he said before the put downs started flying. “I think it’s really time for the country to get into something else now that nothing came out about me other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally, by Epstein and other people,” Trump said, putting the not-so-quiet part out there very loudly when Collins asked about the DOJ document dump being more transparent. “But I think it’s time now for the country to maybe get onto something like health care, something that people care about.”
Within 45 minutes of Collins and Trump’s tense exchange, CNN put out a statement praising the reporter. “Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional journalist, reporting every day from the White House and the field with real depth and tenacity, the Warner Bros Discovery owned network said. “She skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day, which audiences around the world know they can trust.”
Later, on the Jake Tapper fronted The Lead, Collins took the high road in her own response to Trump’s attack Tuesday and called the topic no “laughing matter.”
“Jake, this is something where the survivors here have been at the center of this, and they have been the people who have said they’re unhappy with what has come out of the Justice Department here so far,” Collins told her colleague in a live shot from the White House lawn. “I just spoke to one on Friday night who was saying that entire witness interviews with the FBI were redacted. The entire page was blacked out. And so these are real questions.”
“As the President is saying, it’s time to move on there’s many people, including a lot of his own supporters, who do not feel that way,” Collins concluded with a backhanded amplification of the MAGA schism over Epstein, Trump and notions of a cover-up of the depth of the role of young women in the one-time close pals’ relationship.
Today’s insults to Collins was not only not the first time Trump has gone after her, but har from the first time the much accused former real estate developer has verbally attacked a female reporter in his second term. In November 2025, Trump made headlines for telling Bloomberg News’ Catherine Lucey “quiet piggy,” The words were later defended by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt as “very frank and honest” commentary, rather than cruel affront.
Last month, Trump called ABC News Senior Political Correspondent Rachel Scott “the most obnoxious reporter.” The response was for Scott asking a question about Trump’s insistence that he had “no problem” releasing footage of the September 2 U.S. military strike off the coast of Venezuela. Previously convicted felon Trump referred to CBS News’ Nancy Cordes as a “stupid person,” blasted the New York Times‘ Katie Rogers as “third rate” and “ugly,” and berated ABC News’ Mary Bruce as “horrible” and “insubordinate”
After the insults against Scott, MS Now‘s Nicole Wallace addressed Trump’s behavior head-on: “This is sick shit. This is sick.”
She added: “We’re either gonna normalize this, and then you’re gonna hear all sorts of prominent people calling women all sorts of name — I’m sure by the time I get off TV, I’ll have a few of those myself — but we’re either gonna normalize this, and usher in an era of unprecedented misogyny or that press corps is gonna act as one and say, ‘No more.’
Today, ex-Fox News anchor and frequent CNN contributor Gretchen Carlson called Trump for his awful behavior:
How dare the Pres. of the US once again attacks a woman in the WH press corp — because @kaitlancollins doesn't smile when talking about #Epstein survivors? (And then she's fake news & everything else.) You Mr. President are the disgrace for the way you treat other human beings.
— Gretchen Carlson (@GretchenCarlson) February 3, 2026Ted Johnson contributed to this report
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