Donald Trump is back in the headlines after criticizing his longtime critic, Kaitlan Collins, for not smiling. Collins is a journalist and reporter for CNN who has never shied away from condemning and questioning Trump. Recently, the Oval Office set up a Q&A session following the signing of a $1.2 trillion budget that effectively ended the partial government shutdown.
Here, Kaitlan Collins blasted Trump with questions about Republican involvement in the Epstein files. She mentioned how Trump’s two close associates, Elon Musk and his commerce secretary, Howard Lutnick, were also named in the files.
Trump has raved about the involvement of Democrats, but not commented on his supporters. Following this, the president quickly dismissed her questions entirely by claiming, “I’m sure they’re fine.” He further adds, “otherwise there would’ve been major headlines.”
President Trump argues the country should move on from the Epstein files and lashes out when asked about the survivors’ response to the latest release from the Justice Department. pic.twitter.com/NB2IJntX3h
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) February 4, 2026
Collins did not back down here. She pointed out how many of the survivors are truly unhappy with the way the Epstein documents were handled. She stated, “a lot of women who are survivors of Epstein are unhappy with those redactions that came out, some of them, entire witness interviews are totally blacked out.”
This is where the President seemed to lose patience and blatantly stated that people should move on from the Epstein files. He said, “I think it’s really time for the country to get on to something else, now that nothing came out about me.”
But Trump did not stop there when Collins pressed him on the matter. He made personal remarks, criticizing her work and not smiling all the years he has known her. Trump made a series of comments like, “You know, you are the worst reporter,” “You know, she’s a young woman, I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile.”
Conveniently, this two-way exchange ended with the White House Press aides making the journalists leave. Trump, however, continued stating how Epstein conspired against him to make him lose the election.
Pres Trump is 💯 correct.
.@kaitlancollins IS Stupid and Nasty. I love that he spelled her name wrong. 😂 She’s just not worth the effort. pic.twitter.com/fysMuowYVM
— ⚜️💎👑 Queen Katerina 👑💎⚜️ (@QueenDarbyy) December 7, 2025
This kind of face-off is nothing new for the President as he has frequently locked horns with Collins. Previously, he took to X and posted a long rant against her, where he labeled her as “Stupid and Nasty.”
Trump’s debacle with the press is an old one. A while ago, when he refused to take any journalist queries after two major events, Collins was quick to point that out. She used her X handle to explain how unlike him this move is.
For the second time today, Trump declines to take any questions from reporters. Hard to think of a moment in the Trump presidency when that’s happened before. https://t.co/9wxxZ8REtp
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) January 29, 2026
Trump going against the journalists, especially those who criticize him, will never cease as long as the president is in office. But it remains to be seen whether his confrontations take shape thanks to an elaborate media and marketing strategy or in self-defense.
