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The Perpetual Conflict

Sunday, 07 December 2025 11:55

Summary

The recent public denunciation of CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins by former President Donald Trump represents the latest escalation in a long-running, highly publicised conflict between a powerful political figure and a persistent journalist. The attack, delivered via social media, saw the former President label the anchor as 'Stupid and Nasty' over a line of questioning concerning White House spending and foreign policy. This incident is not an isolated event, but rather a continuation of a pattern of personal and professional attacks that began during the Trump administration's first term. The former President's rhetoric against Collins and other journalists is part of a broader, deliberate strategy to delegitimise critical reporting and control the narrative by threatening the fundamental access required for White House coverage. The ongoing tension highlights the precarious position of the press in an era of heightened political polarisation and the challenges faced by reporters seeking to hold power to account.

The Latest Salvo in a Long War

The most recent flashpoint in the enduring conflict between Donald Trump and CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins occurred in December 2025, when the former President launched a personal attack against her on his social media platform, Truth Social1,15. The post, which misspelled the journalist's surname, labelled her as 'Stupid and Nasty'1,15. The public rebuke stemmed from Collins's on-air commentary regarding the rising costs associated with a proposed White House ballroom addition1,15. In his post, the former President insisted that the project was actually 'under budget and ahead of schedule,' attributing any perceived cost increase to an expanded scope and 'enhanced finishes'15. Collins, however, quickly offered a clarification, stating that her original question had actually focused on the administration's military strikes off the Venezuelan coast, not the ballroom's budget1,11. The journalist's query had reportedly been posed at the Kennedy Center, where she asked the President about accepting a newly announced peace prize while the military was conducting the strikes11. The exchange, regardless of the precise subject matter, underscored the persistent tension that has defined the relationship between the two figures for years15. The use of personal derogation, rather than a substantive policy defence, is a hallmark of the former President's approach to journalists who challenge him15.

A History of Confrontation

The December 2025 incident is merely the latest chapter in a series of high-profile confrontations that have marked Collins's career covering the former President4. Her tenure as a White House correspondent for CNN, which began in 2017, coincided with a period of intense hostility between the administration and the network3,5. One of the earliest and most significant clashes occurred in July 2018, when Collins was temporarily barred from attending an open press event in the Rose Garden5,17. The White House took this retaliatory action after Collins, serving as the television network pool reporter, asked the President questions about his former lawyer, Michael Cohen, and Russian President Vladimir Putin during an Oval Office photo opportunity4,5,17. White House officials at the time informed Collins that her questions were deemed 'inappropriate for that venue'5. The White House Correspondents Association (WHCA) condemned the move as 'wholly inappropriate, wrong-headed, and weak'4. The pattern of verbal attacks continued into the former President's post-presidency and subsequent campaign4. During a televised town hall event with Republican voters in May 2023, Collins pressed the former President on his assertions regarding the 2020 election4. The former President grew visibly impatient during the 70-minute event, at one point calling her a 'nasty person'4. In April 2025, during a White House meeting with El Salvador's President Nayib Bukele, the former President publicly insulted Collins, calling her a 'low-rated anchor' as she questioned him about the wrongful deportation of a Maryland man18. Later that year, in October 2025, he lashed out at her again during a Q&A session, telling her, 'You know nothing about nothing, you fake news!' after she questioned his pardon of a cryptocurrency exchange founder6. These repeated exchanges have cemented Collins's reputation as a persistent questioner and a frequent target of the former President's ire4.

The Weaponisation of Access

The former President's verbal assaults on Collins are part of a broader, established strategy of challenging the independence of the press by weaponising access8. Throughout his political career, he has routinely denied or revoked press credentials for news organisations and individual reporters whose coverage he deemed unfavourable2,7. During his 2016 campaign, he revoked the credentials of several major outlets, including *The Washington Post*, Politico, and BuzzFeed2. The most prominent example of this tactic during his first term involved CNN's Jim Acosta, whose White House 'hard pass' was revoked in November 2018 following a contentious press conference7,13. The administration's action against Acosta was ultimately challenged in court, where a federal judge ruled in the reporter's favour and ordered the restoration of his credentials8,13. The court's decision was based on the finding that the administration had failed to provide due process before revoking the pass13. The White House has also attempted to exert control over the press corps by changing the rules for 'hard pass' qualification, a move that threatened to revoke the credentials of a significant number of journalists who did not meet a new 90-day attendance requirement13. The threat of access denial serves a dual purpose: it punishes reporters for asking difficult questions and sends a clear message to the rest of the press corps about the consequences of critical coverage6,7. The former President's rhetoric often conflates negative coverage with 'fake news,' suggesting that any reporting critical of his administration is inherently dishonest6.

The Broader Implications for Journalism

The sustained, high-profile conflict between a political leader and a journalist has significant implications for the practice of political reporting and the concept of a free press8. The former President's attacks, which frequently target female journalists with personal insults, create a hostile environment that can be seen as an attempt to intimidate reporters into self-censorship11,15. The White House Correspondents' Association (WHCA) has consistently argued that leaders in a free country must not be allowed to choose their own press corps8. The ability of journalists to ask questions, even those deemed 'inappropriate' by officials, is considered a fundamental pillar of accountability journalism5,17. When a reporter is publicly humiliated or has their access restricted, it undermines the independence of the media and risks turning the press corps into a public relations mouthpiece for the administration8. The repeated nature of the attacks against Collins, who has been praised for her ability to remain calm and impartial in the face of adversity, highlights the increasing difficulty of maintaining objective coverage in a highly polarised political landscape3,4. The confrontations force the journalist to become part of the story, which Collins herself noted was a challenge of covering the administration3. Ultimately, the pattern of personal attacks and threats to access is viewed by press freedom advocates as a deliberate political strategy aimed at eroding public trust in the media as an institution6,8.

Conclusion

The ongoing, acrimonious relationship between Donald Trump and Kaitlan Collins is a microcosm of the broader tension between a political movement that seeks to control the narrative and a journalistic tradition committed to scrutiny. The former President’s use of personal insults, such as calling the anchor 'Stupid and Nasty,' is a calculated tactic that shifts the focus away from the substance of the question—whether it concerns White House spending or foreign policy—and onto the perceived bias of the questioner1,15. This strategy, coupled with the historical precedent of revoking press credentials for other journalists, serves to delegitimise critical reporting in the eyes of his supporters7,8. For the press, the challenge remains how to cover such a figure rigorously and fairly without becoming the central subject of the story3. The persistence of journalists like Collins, despite the public hostility and the threat of professional reprisal, underscores the essential role of an independent press in a functioning democracy4,8. The conflict is not merely a personal feud, but a sustained battle over the very definition of accountability in modern American politics.

References

  1. Kaitlan Collins pushes back after Trump rants about her White House ballroom question

    Used to verify the date and content of the most recent attack (Dec 2025), the 'Stupid and Nasty' quote, and Collins's clarification that her question was about Venezuela, not the ballroom.

  2. The Complicated History Between the Press and the Presidency

    Used to establish the historical context of Trump revoking press credentials for multiple outlets during his campaign, including The Washington Post, Politico, and BuzzFeed.

  3. How CNN's Kaitlan Collins Built A Career Covering Trump And Became The Network's Youngest Chief White House Correspondent

    Used to provide background on Collins's career, her start covering the Trump White House, and her quote about becoming 'the story' by the White House's making.

  4. Who is Kaitlan Collins? The CNN anchor who has been rattling Donald Trump and his administration

    Used to verify Collins's 2018 temporary bar from the White House, the 'nasty person' quote from the 2023 town hall, and her reputation for tough questioning.

  5. Kaitlan Collins - Wikipedia

    Used to confirm the details of the July 2018 incident where she was barred from a Rose Garden event after asking questions about Michael Cohen and Putin, and the White House's justification that the questions were 'inappropriate for that venue'.

  6. Trump suggests taking away journalists' press credentials in response to negative coverage

    Used to establish the pattern of Trump suggesting revoking credentials for negative coverage and the conflation of negative coverage with 'fake news'. Also used to verify the 'You know nothing about nothing, you fake news!' quote from October 2025.

  7. Trump Campaign Pulls Press Credentials for Bloomberg News Reporters

    Used to cite the revocation of press credentials for Bloomberg News reporters and the Jim Acosta incident as examples of the weaponisation of access.

  8. Trump Administration Seizes Control Over White House Press Pool in Chilling Move

    Used to discuss the Jim Acosta credential revocation, the federal judge's ruling, the WHCA's stance on leaders choosing their press corps, and the risk of the media becoming a PR mouthpiece.

  9. Reporter hits back: Kaitlan Collins responds to Trump's rant calling her 'stupid, nasty'

    Used to confirm the December 2025 attack, the 'Stupid and Nasty' quote, Collins's clarification about the Venezuela question, and the pattern of Trump targeting female journalists.

  10. White House revokes press passes for dozens of journalists

    Used to detail the Jim Acosta case, the court ruling on due process, and the administration's attempt to change 'hard pass' rules to control the press corps.

  11. Trump Labels Kaitlan Collins 'Stupid and Nasty' While Boasting Ballroom Is Under Budget

    Used to verify the December 2025 Truth Social post, the 'Stupid and Nasty' quote, the misspelling of her name, and the former President's defence of the ballroom project.

  12. White House bans CNN reporter from event for 'inappropriate' questions

    Used to confirm the 2018 Rose Garden ban, the White House's reasoning that the questions were 'inappropriate,' and the reaction from other journalists.

  13. Trump Insults CNN Reporter Kaitlan Collins On Her Face Calls Her 'LOW-RATED Anchor

    Used to verify the April 2025 incident where Trump called Collins a 'low-rated anchor' during a White House meeting.