Donald Trump Blasts CNN’s Kaitlan Collins at White House Correspondents’ Dinner

Donald Trump blasted CNN’s Kaitlan Collins once again at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner.

On Friday, July 24, the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) Dinner was held at the Waldorf Astoria Washington DC. The event had been rescheduled after an assassination attempt on the original April date.

“I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award,” Trump, 80, told attendees. Collins won the WHCA’s Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure in the broadcast category.

The POTUS continued, “It was all about me. It’s a fake. She shouldn’t get the award. It was a fake, but I didn’t mind. I said, Kaitlan, congratulations. But it was fake. There’s no question about it.”

That’s when Trump pivoted to criticizing Collins for not smiling — an insult he publicly hurled at her in February, after calling her “stupid and nasty” in December.

“But she’s a young, attractive woman. She never smiles,” the president claimed. “I said, ‘Kaitlan, you ever smile?’ Smile. You have a nice position. You’re at CNN fake news. You should be a happy person. So smile, Kaitlan. Just smile.”

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Additionally, Trump compared Collins to transgender actress and social media influencer Dylan Mulvaney, a transgender woman.

“I thought Kaitlan had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but… it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney,” he said. “And Dylan Mulvaney cost Bud Light $35 billion in market cap. That was the worst commercial ever made, by the way.”

In statement shared with TV Insider, a CNN spokesperson noted, “Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional, trusted journalist being honored tonight for her depth of knowledge and the context she provides to audiences all over the world. She reports every day from the White House and the field with real strength and tenacity and skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day. We stand by her to the fullest extent.”

Later, Trump took aim at Robert F. Kennedy Jr., the secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

“I hope that everyone finally got to enjoy their entire very delicious beef tenderloin. Very special beef,” the POTUS said. “And I want you all to know that Bobby Kennedy is right here. Personally ran over the cow in his car, and he cut it up, and he brought it here for you to eat tonight.”

Trump continued, “So it’s very fresh. And Bobby also suggested an appetizer featuring his favorite cut of male raccoon roadkill. But we drew the line at that, Cheryl [Hines], we said, no, we’re not going to do that. We’re not doing that.”

Later, Trump called Don Lemon the “dumbest man on television.” The POTUS also claimed that although he used to like CNN’s Anderson Cooper, “he went bad as soon as I went for politics.”

What did you think of Trump’s speech at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner?