Story perspectives

Trump Escalates Attacks on CNN’s Kaitlan Collins

By Drooid · Oct 7, 2026, 4:28 PM UTC · How we work

Summary

Story summary

President Donald Trump repeatedly insulted CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins on social media and in interviews.
He called her “nasty” on Truth Social in December 2025 and “never smiles” in June 2026.
In a TIME interview, Trump called Collins “very average” and “the most unhappy young person I’ve ever seen.”
Collins answered calmly, displaying a “America Needs Nasty Women” mug and saying name-calling distracts from accountability.

History

Historical Context

In August 1971 the Nixon White House created a secret “enemies list” of twenty journalists, activists and politicians, overseen by counsel John Dean and later expanded to 220 names. Dean delivered the master list to the Senate Watergate Committee on June 27 1973, exposing a pattern of federal harassment that resurfaced when Trump attacked CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins in 2025-26.

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Story summary

President Donald Trump repeatedly insulted CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins on social media and in interviews.
He called her “nasty” on Truth Social in December 2025 and “never smiles” in June 2026.
In a TIME interview, Trump called Collins “very average” and “the most unhappy young person I’ve ever seen.”
Collins answered calmly, displaying a “America Needs Nasty Women” mug and saying name-calling distracts from accountability.

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