You know how Donald Trump loves to mix it up with the media? Well, these days, it seems like he’s got a particular knack for zeroing in on women reporters, and it’s stirring up all sorts of chatter. The latest? CNN’s star White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, who’s not one to just take it lying down.
Remember back when a president slinging insults like “ugly” at a journalist or tossing around slurs like “retarded” at politicians would tank a career overnight? Those days feel like ancient history now—it’s basically Tuesday in D.C. politics.
White House Insists It’s Not About Gender
Lately, Trump’s been on a tear with the press, and yeah, the targets are overwhelmingly female. But if you ask the White House, it’s all coincidence. “Nothing to do with gender,” they say, like that’s gonna fly.
Take November: He straight-up told a Bloomberg reporter “Quiet, piggy” when she dared bring up the Epstein files. Oof. Not long after, another woman from CNN got hit with “nasty” and “stupid.” The hits just keep coming.
That Post-Thanksgiving Rage Fest
Even the holiday turkey couldn’t cool things off. Trump’s Truth Social feed lit up like a fireworks show gone wrong. He dropped an ableist bomb on Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz, then went after Rep. Ilhan Omar with some ugly Islamophobic jab, dubbing her “the worst ‘Congressman/woman’ in our Country… always wrapped in her swaddling hijab.” Rough stuff.
But wait, there’s more. When yet another female journo grilled him on the suspect behind an attack on National Guard folks in D.C., he fired off: “Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?” Yikes.
Enter Kaitlan Collins, who’s been holding her own as CNN’s go-to White House voice. At a recent presser, she zeroed in on those flashy White House upgrades—like the swanky new ballroom Trump swears is all privately bankrolled. Trump? Not thrilled. A few hours later, he hits Truth Social, butchers her name, and unleashes: “Caitlin Collin’s of Fake News CNN, always Stupid and Nasty…”
CNN and Collins Hit Back—Hard
He wasn’t done, though. Trump went on to brag that the renos are “under budget and ahead of schedule,” “much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned,” and hey, “fully paid for by private donations.” Capped it off with a classic “FAKE NEWS CNN” zinger.
CNN didn’t miss a beat: “Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional journalist… audiences around the world know they can trust.” Boom.
And Collins? She’s got that dry wit. She posted on Instagram: “Technically my question was about Venezuela.” Turns out, she was actually probing a horrific bombing off Venezuela’s coast that wiped out over 80 lives—reports called it a possible “double tap” strike, which screams war crime under international rules. The Pentagon’s pushing back, insisting: “Our current operations… are lawful under both US and international law.”
Oh, and the New York Times Drama?
On a side note, folks are whispering again about Trump’s energy levels. The New York Times dropped a piece saying he’s flashing “signs of fatigue” and wrestling with “the realities of aging in office.” Trump? Predictably salty on social: “The Creeps at the Failing New York Times are at it again… I have never worked so hard in my life.” He tossed in that yeah, “there will be a day where my energy will run out,” but his latest checkups say “that won’t be anytime soon.”
The Times? Unfazed. Spokesperson Charlie Stadtlander: “Name-calling and personal insults don’t change that. Our journalists will not hesitate to cover this administration.”
Look, Trump’s been dishing out these playground taunts to women in the press more than ever, but the White House is sticking to their guns: “nothing to do with gender.” Spokeswoman Abigail Jackson told The Independent, “President Trump has never been politically correct, never holds back, and in large part, the American people re-elected him for his transparency. This has nothing to do with gender – it has everything to do with the fact that the President’s and the public’s trust in the media is at all time lows.”
Whether you buy that or not, one thing’s clear: Collins and her colleagues aren’t backing down. In a world where the bar for “scandal” keeps dropping, it’s refreshing to see some pushback with a side of sarcasm. What’s next? Stay tuned—it’s only gonna get louder.