The age of the media cozying up to the president is over. Now it’s a war of words.
And Trump put the beatdown on this reporter and now CNN is furious.
President Trump didn’t hold back during media availability in the Oval Office on Thursday, taking a sharp jab at CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins and drawing laughter from others in the room.
The verbal sparring unfolded after Collins interrupted the president with a question about Russian President Vladimir Putin.
The exchange began as Trump was addressing whether Putin genuinely seeks peace with Ukraine.
“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. I think he would tell me if he didn’t, I think he’d like to see peace,” Trump stated from the Resolute Desk.
Collins then cut in without being called on, asking, “Do you trust President Putin?”
Trump, known for his quick-witted responses to hostile media, fired back without missing a beat.
“I know [Biden is] a friend of yours,” he said.
“He’s a friend of CNN. That’s why nobody watches CNN anymore. Because they have no credibility,” the president added, delivering the last line in his trademark style.
The remark sparked laughter from several journalists in the room, emphasizing the diminishing trust many Americans feel toward the once-dominant news network.
Collins, who has often been at the receiving end of Trump’s verbal barbs, is no stranger to contentious back-and-forths with the president.
Her questions frequently lean toward the provocative, and Thursday’s incident was no exception.
Just last month, Collins tried to corner Trump about his remarks on DEI policies possibly contributing to a plane crash in Washington, D.C.
“Does it comfort [the victims’] family to hear you blaming DEI policies?” she asked, clearly hoping to score a rhetorical point.
Trump, unfazed, dismissed the question.
“I think that’s not a very smart question,” he replied. “I’m surprised, coming from you.”
These tense interactions have become almost routine for Trump and the corporate media, particularly CNN, which has seen its ratings plummet in recent years.
As the 2024 election cycle heats up, it’s clear the media won’t get any free passes from the president — and he won’t be holding back his signature candor anytime soon.
Stay tuned to the DC Daily Journal.
