Trump Trolls CNN’s Kaitlan Collins

President Donald Trump confronted CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday, telling her she “should not be here” as she attempted to question him before his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly.

The exchange came days after Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico reporters from White House grounds, setting off a legal battle over presidential press access and First Amendment protections.

Despite the White House restrictions, CNN continued covering Trump’s appearance in New York because its journalists were credentialed separately by the United Nations.

Collins Questions Trump About the Iran War

Trump was walking with first lady Melania Trump when he stopped to speak briefly with reporters.

Collins asked him about public opinion concerning the U.S. war with Iran, referring to a CNN poll in which nearly two-thirds of respondents said they did not believe the United States was winning the conflict.

Instead of answering the question immediately, Trump turned his attention to CNN’s presence.

“I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me,” Trump said.

Collins responded that the United Nations had allowed CNN inside.

Trump then told her, “You shouldn’t be here,” while also suggesting that CNN had said it would stop covering him.

CNN has not announced that it is ending its coverage of the president.

The network was able to cover Trump at the General Assembly because U.N. media credentials are separate from White House press credentials.

CNN, Politico and MS NOW Challenge White House Ban

The confrontation followed Trump’s decision to bar CNN, MS NOW and Politico journalists from White House grounds.

Trump announced the move Friday while accusing the organizations of publishing false and unfair reporting.

The three outlets filed a federal lawsuit Monday challenging the restrictions.

They argue that the administration violated their First Amendment rights by excluding them because of the content of their journalism. The lawsuit also alleges that their Fifth Amendment due-process rights were violated when their access was revoked without sufficient notice or an opportunity to respond.

The administration disputes those arguments and maintains that news organizations do not have an unlimited constitutional right to enter White House property.

The dispute is now before a federal court.

Major Television Networks Respond

The White House decision also affected the television press pool.

CNN had been scheduled to perform pool duties during part of Trump’s U.N. trip but was unable to do so after losing access to the White House.

ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News and NBC subsequently suspended their participation in the television pool rather than replace CNN in the rotation.

The White House press pool is used when space or security limitations prevent every news organization from attending a presidential event. Participating journalists then share reporting, video and other material with the broader press corps.

The networks have argued that individual outlets should not be excluded from that system because government officials object to their reporting.

Trump Says U.S. Is “Making a Lot of Progress”

As Collins continued trying to ask about Iran, Trump shifted back to his visit to the United Nations.

He said it was an honor to attend the gathering and told reporters that the United States was “making a lot of progress.”

“Our country is doing really, really well,” Trump said before walking away.

Collins repeated her question as he departed.

She later wrote on social media that CNN had received credentials directly from the United Nations to cover the General Assembly.

Trump and Collins Have Clashed Before

Tuesday’s exchange was not the first public confrontation between Trump and Collins.

Their disputes date back to Trump’s first term.

In 2018, Collins was excluded from a Rose Garden event after questioning Trump about Russian President Vladimir Putin and Trump’s former attorney Michael Cohen.

The White House said at the time that Collins continued asking questions after officials instructed reporters to leave.

Trump and Collins had another highly publicized confrontation during a CNN town hall in May 2023.

During questioning about classified documents, the two repeatedly interrupted one another before Trump called Collins a “nasty person.”

Their disagreements have continued during Trump’s second term, with the president publicly criticizing both Collins and CNN on several occasions.

Court Fight Could Have Wider Implications

The latest dispute extends beyond the personal friction between Trump and Collins.

At issue is how much authority a presidential administration has when determining which journalists receive access to White House grounds.

CNN, MS NOW and Politico argue that the government cannot selectively punish news organizations because officials disagree with their reporting.

The administration argues that the Constitution does not guarantee every journalist unrestricted access to presidential facilities and events.

Previous court cases have recognized that the government may impose certain rules governing access, while also limiting its ability to make arbitrary or viewpoint-based decisions.

A federal judge will now consider the competing arguments in the latest case.

For news consumers, the dispute could help clarify the legal boundaries between presidential control of White House access and constitutional protections for a free press.

As the case moves forward, Trump’s confrontation with Collins at the United Nations underscores how the disagreement between the administration and several major media organizations has expanded from a political dispute into a constitutional and legal battle.