‘You know why you’re not smiling?’: Trump goes after female reporter who dared to ask him about Epstein

President Donald Trump criticized CNN’s chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, for not smiling enough during a tense exchange in the Oval Office. Collins was trying to ask him about survivors of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein when the confrontation happened.

According to People, the heated interaction occurred while the president was showing off a new red-and-white baseball cap that said “America is back.” House Speaker Mike Johnson was standing next to him. Trump first said CNN must be “thrilled” to have Collins there, then immediately made a personal comment about her. “She never smiles. Someday I’ll see her smile,” he said.

Collins, who is 33, then tried to ask her question while the president spoke to someone else. “What did you say? Go ahead, CNN,” he said. When Collins started asking, “What would you say to the survivors,” referring to the Epstein case, the president quickly cut her off.

This pattern of personal attacks shows disrespect for professional journalism

“You are the worst reporter,” Trump said, adding that CNN has “no ratings because of people like you.” He then repeated his earlier comment, saying he doesn’t think he’s ever seen her smile, even though he’s “known you for 10 years.” Collins tried to bring the conversation back to the serious topic, saying simply, “Well I’m asking you about survivors.”

That’s when the president delivered his final attack. “You know why you’re not smiling? Because you know you’re not telling the truth. You’re a very dishonest organization and they should be ashamed of you,” he said, interrupting her. The president has been making headlines recently for his threatening response to France over trade issues as well.

CNN quickly defended Collins after the exchange. A spokesperson for the network released a strong statement praising her work. They said Collins “is an exceptional journalist, reporting every day from the White House and the field with real depth and tenacity.” The spokesperson added that she “skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day, which audiences around the world know they can trust.”

This isn’t the first time President Trump has publicly attacked Collins. Back in December 2025, he posted on Truth Social calling Collins “always stupid, and nasty” after she asked about his plans to remodel the White House ballroom. Trump has also been focused on his Kennedy Center renovation plans, which will cost $200 million.

Collins isn’t the only female reporter facing the president’s personal insults. He has a history of using harsh language against women covering the White House. In November 2025 alone, he called Nancy Cordes “a stupid person,” referred to Katie Rogers as “ugly, both inside and out,” and told Catherine Lucey to be “quiet, piggy.”