Donald Trump attacks Kaitlan Collins as she hammers him on Epstein files: ‘You are the worst!’
President Donald Trump lashed out at CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins during a brief question-and-answer
session with reporters in the Oval Office on Tuesday. The tense exchange happened shortly after Trump signed a bill ending the partial government shutdown, with several Republican leaders standing nearby.
Collins asked Trump whether he had personally read any of the roughly three million newly released Jeffrey Epstein files made public by the Justice Department the week before.
The documents included messages and contacts involving people close to Trump, such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Elon Musk, who had communicated with Epstein in the past. Trump dismissed the question and did not give a direct answer.
Collins then pressed him about why many parts of the documents were blacked out. Independent reviewers had found more than 40 cases where sensitive details about Epstein’s victims were not properly protected, which angered and upset many survivors. The release of this information sparked outrage and renewed calls for accountability.
When Collins asked what Trump would say to survivors who are still seeking justice, the president reacted sharply. He cut her off and insulted her, saying she was “the worst reporter” and claiming CNN’s low ratings were her fault.
Trump then shifted from criticizing her work to making personal remarks. He commented on her appearance and demeanor, saying she was a young woman who never smiled and claiming he had known her for years without ever seeing her smile.
The comments were widely viewed as sexist and inappropriate, adding to criticism of how he handled both the question and the interaction overall.
