President Donald Trump sparred with CNN star Kaitlan Collins over her network’s ‘credibility’ while signing new worldwide reciprocal tariffs at the Oval Office on Thursday.
The flailing network’s White House correspondent interrupted Trump as he put his signature on the measure to increase U.S. tariffs to match the tax rates other countries charge on imports.
Before Trump could place the freshly signed document on his desk, Collins jumped in to ask if the tariffs would increase costs for Americans.
‘Mr. President, you won the White House in part because of high inflation, if your tariffs make prices go up…’ Collins said before Trump cut her off.
‘Excuse me. We haven’t asked you to speak yet, please,’ the president quipped.
Trump then allowed the question and answer portion of the signing to start, opting for a reporter other than Collins to kick it off.
When it was finally Collins’ turn, she asked, ‘So Americans should prepare for some short-term pain?’
‘No, you said that. I didn’t say that,’ Trump replied. ‘We’ll see what happens. Nobody really knows what is going to happen.’
President Donald Trump sparred with CNN star Kaitlan Collins at the Oval Office signing of his new worldwide reciprocal tariffs
Before Trump could place the freshly signed document down on his desk, Collins jumped in to ask if the tariffs would increase costs for Americans
Later on in the press conference, Trump blasted Collins for asking about Vladimir Putin and attacked her network’s credibility.
Another reporter asked the president, ‘When Putin says that he really wants peace, do you believe him?’
‘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 was peace. I think he would tell me if he didn’t, I think he’d I’d like to see peace.’
Collins then asked Trump, ‘Do you trust President Putin?’
The president used his response to argue that the war in Ukraine was Joe Biden’s fault and ripped Collins for her relationship with the former president.
‘This should have been done by Biden years ago. This should have never been allowed to happen,’ Trump said.
‘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.’
Collins was mocked over the weekend for her hysterical response to Trump’s first three weeks in the White House.
Trump then allowed the question and answer portion of the signing to start, opting for a reporter other than Collins to kick it off
White House chief of staff Susie Wiles looks on as Trump and Collins spar
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt watches as Trump answers questions in the Oval Office
The anchor warned that the United States is ‘dangerously close to a constitutional crisis’ following Trump’s public challenge to the judicial branch of government.
‘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 said.
Trump’s appointment of billionaire Elon Musk to run a Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) sparked a flood of legal challenges, followed by judicial rulings trying to slow down his efforts.
Collins’ stern delivery has sparked a wave of responses on X, where critics described her as a ‘disgrace’ and accused her of unnecessarily stoking fears.
‘We are ALL laughing at you, Kaitlan Collins… you cried your last “wolf!” some time ago,’ another said.
‘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.’
On Friday, she appeared to complain to Late Night host Seth Meyers about her seven-day-a-week schedule when it comes to news coverage under Trump.
Collins, who makes a reported $3million per year, harked back to what she put as a calmer presidency from Joe Biden.
On Friday, Collins appeared to complain to Late Night host Seth Meyers about her seven-day-a-week schedule when it comes to news coverage under Trump
‘Um, it is insane,’ the anchor answered, growing increasingly animated.
‘I think everyone is kind of like readjusting and re-remembering what it was like four years ago – pre four years ago.
‘I remember when Biden first took office in January, the New York Times wrote this story about how quiet the weekends were.
‘Because, for reporters, every weekend had just been like another… it was like a seven-day work week.
‘Now we’re back to that. Basically where it’s just essentially nonstop every day.’
