Trump Mocks CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Renewing Calls to End White House Press Dinner After 1 Speech
Updated
Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 27
Trump Mocks CNN's Kaitlan Collins, Renewing Calls to End White House Press Dinner After 1 Speech
3 articles · Updated · The Washington Post · Jul 27
Summary
Sunday’s Truth Social post showed an edited Bud Light-style image replacing Dylan Mulvaney with Kaitlan Collins, extending Trump’s attacks days after he singled out the CNN correspondent at Friday’s rescheduled correspondents’ dinner.
Friday’s speech included Trump telling Collins to “just smile” and comparing her appearance to Mulvaney, remarks critics said undercut the event’s stated mission of defending press freedom.
CNN called Collins an “exceptional, trusted journalist,” while White House spokesman Davis Ingle said “the liberal media can dish it but they can’t take it”; Mulvaney responded that being mocked by the administration was “the greatest compliment of all.”
Press critics including Peter Baker, Margaret Sullivan and others said the dinner should be rethought or abandoned, arguing Trump’s escalating insults, lawsuits and regulatory pressure on media outlets make the event untenable.
The dinner had already been rescheduled after an April gunman attack that led to 4 felony counts, and the latest clash lands as CNN’s corporate future remains uncertain amid a paused $110 billion Paramount Skydance-Warner Bros. Discovery deal.