Kaitlan Collins says Trump’s attacks aren’t personal: ‘He seeks validation from the mainstream media’

From jabs at her smile to disparaging remarks about her intelligence, Alabama native and CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins has frequently found herself in the crosshairs of President Donald Trump. Despite the intensity of these public clashes, the anchor of The Source with Kaitlan Collins maintains that the president’s rhetoric is not a personal vendetta.

A Dynamic of Validation

In an April 22 conversation with Shawn McCreesh for Interview magazine, Collins noted that while Trump is aggressive toward reporters of all genders—citing colleagues like Jonathan Karl and Peter Alexander—observers have noted a shift in his tone when dealing with women. Collins emphasized that the president simply dislikes being pressed by anyone, but noted that his treatment of women in the media has drawn specific attention.

The Pattern of the Press Pool

The reporter pointed to a string of documented incidents involving her peers. Trump previously labeled ABC News’ Mary Bruce a terrible reporter and confronted CBS News’ Nancy Cordes by asking, “are you a stupid person?” Additionally, Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucy was famously told to be quiet, piggy during an exchange regarding the Jeffrey Epstein scandal.

Behind the Camera

Collins recounted how she faced similar dismissiveness when pressing Trump on the Epstein case in the Oval Office. Instead of answering, the president remarked that he had never seen her smile in a decade of coverage. Reflecting on his behavior, Collins told 205focus.com and other outlets that the public often sees a curated performance.

“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,” Collins said. “He has always played the media game. He used to impersonate someone and call in and speak positively about himself. I think his base doesn’t always realize he seeks validation from the same mainstream media they all trash.”