Kaitlan Collins says Trump’s attacks aren’t personal: ‘He seeks validation from the mainstream media’
"I don’t think the president likes tough questions from anyone."
Mason Reed 
Alabama native and CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins has faced a steady barrage of attacks from President Donald Trump, ranging from disparaging comments about her smile to personal insults regarding her intelligence. Despite the intensity of these public jabs, Collins—who also hosts "The Source with Kaitlan Collins" on CNN—maintains that the president’s hostility is not directed at her personally.
The Media Game
In a discussion with The New York Times’ Shawn McCreesh that appeared in Interview magazine, Collins noted that while Trump dislikes tough questioning from any reporter, observers are increasingly picking up on a specific trend in how he treats female journalists compared to their male counterparts.
"I don’t think the president likes tough questions from anyone, and he’s threatened a lot of our colleagues who are men, like Jonathan Karl and Peter Alexander," Collins said. "But I do think that this term, people have started to notice the difference in his reaction when women like Mary Bruce or Nancy Cordes are doing the questioning."
A Pattern of Hostility
The instances of aggressive rhetoric directed at female correspondents are well-documented. Trump has previously labeled ABC News’ Mary Bruce a "terrible reporter" and questioned whether CBS News' Nancy Cordes was a stupid person. Additionally, Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucy was told to be "quiet, piggy" after posing a question regarding the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.
Collins shared that she received her own insult about her lack of a smile when she asked Trump about the same subject in the Oval Office. She recalled being frustrated that the president was more focused on showcasing new hats on his desk than addressing the gravity of the questions surrounding a sex trafficker. For Collins, these moments highlight a deeper, calculated strategy by the president.
"I do think he’s very much someone who is one way in front of the cameras and another when he’s off the record. He has always played the media game. He used to impersonate someone and call in and speak positively about himself," Collins told 205focus.com. "I think his base doesn’t always realize he seeks validation from the same mainstream media they all trash."
