Trump Slams CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for Questioning His Weekend Plans on Truth Social
President Donald Trump; CNN White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins.
Credit:
Chip Somodevilla/Getty; Al Drago/Bloomberg via Getty
Key Points
- Donald Trump labeled Kaitlan Collins “stupid and nasty” in a recent Truth Social post after she questioned the cost of his White House ballroom renovation.
- In the same post, the former president misspelled Collins’ name, continuing a pattern of targeting female journalists.
- Collins previously defended journalist Catherine Lucey after Trump criticized her with “quiet, piggy.”
Kaitlan Collins has become the latest target of Donald Trump’s contentious rhetoric, as he referred to her as “stupid and nasty” in a Truth Social post on December 6. The comment arose after Collins, who serves as CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent and hosts *The Source with Kaitlan Collins*, inquired about the costs associated with Trump’s extravagant White House ballroom project.
In his post, Trump, 79, inaccurately spelled Collins’ name while seemingly responding to her question regarding the substantial renovations, although the exact context of their exchange remains unclear. “Caitlin Collin’s of Fake News CNN, always Stupid and Nasty, asked me why the new Ballroom was costing more money than originally thought one year ago,” Trump wrote. He further explained that the project is being expanded and enhanced, remarking, “the quality of finishes and interiors has been brought to the highest level.”
Kaitlan Collins on ‘The Source with Kaitlan Collins’.
Kent Nishimura/Getty
Trump asserted that the renovation, initially expected to cost $200 million but now projected to escalate to around $300 million, remains “under budget and ahead of schedule.” He noted that financial support comes from private donors, refuting any claims of taxpayer involvement, and expressed vehement criticism toward media outlets. “The ratings are so low that they’re not even counted or relevant anymore,” he concluded, referencing CNN.
The White House has begun demolishing the East Wing in order to facilitate the ballroom project, which has ignited criticism from lawmakers concerned about its historical significance and oversight.
An architectural rendering of the planned White House ballroom interior.
McCrery Architects/The White House
In response to Trump’s comments, Collins took to her Instagram Stories to clarify that her question was not about the ballroom but related to Venezuela.
This incident follows a broader pattern of attacks by Trump against female journalists. Recently, he labeled another correspondent, CBS News’ Nancy Cordes, as “stupid” during a holiday press interaction. This trend has raised ongoing concerns regarding the treatment of female reporters in political discourse.
During a Thanksgiving press event, when asked about the vetting process for individuals involved in a recent shooting in Washington, D.C., Trump quickly retorted at Cordes, asking, “Are you stupid?” Similarly, he had previously directed harsh comments towards *The New York Times*’ Katie Rogers, describing her as “ugly, both inside and out.”
Collins defended her colleague Lucey when Trump dismissed her question with “quiet, piggy,” affirming Lucey’s professionalism and work ethic.
