Trump again lashes out at CNN, berates Kaitlan Collins for not smiling

US President Donald Trump has lashed out at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, accusing her of having “hatred in her eyes,” while he took questions from reporters in the Oval Office.

The president was answering a question about the recently defunct “anti-weaponization” fund, which he called “a beautiful thing.”

He then attacked CNN, calling the network “crooked as hell” and “a very corrupt organization” before he turned his attention to Collins.

“But with a corrupt reporter standing right there, never smiles,” The Hill quoted him as saying. “You never see a young, beautiful woman who never smiles. I never see a smile on her face. I see her standing there with hatred in her eyes.”

Trump claimed she has “hatred because we have borders, because we have a strong military, because we cut our taxes, because we do things that everybody wanted, and then we win our election in a massive landslide.”

He again attacked CNN minutes later after the topic returned to the “anti-weaponization” fund and accused the outlet and The New York Times of abusing “our people so badly.” Collins tried to cut in but Trump tersely told her to “be quiet.”

“You used to be a conservative,” he continued. “She was a conservative from Alabama. Can you believe it?

The president turned his attention back to CNN and said that “it has new ownership, so maybe it’ll straighten it out. I doubt it. But it’s so hard to straighten garbage out.” He was likely referring to Paramount, led by Trump ally David Ellison, acquiring Warner Bros., CNN’s parent company.

“Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional journalist, reporting every day from the White House and the field with real depth and tenacity,” a CNN spokesperson said in a statement to The Hill. “She skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day, which audiences around the world know they can trust.” 

Trump frequently attacks Collins, making comments about her appearance and slamming CNN’s reporting of him.

Trump also called Collins “stupid and nasty” in December when he claimed she was asking about construction on the White House ballroom. She later brushed off the insults and said on social media that “Technically, my question was about Venezuela.”

The president has also lashed out at other reporters who are women. He notably told a Bloomberg reporter in November to be “Quiet, piggy” after she asked him a question about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

That same month, Trump also called a New York Times reporter “ugly, both inside and out” after writing a report about his health, age and physical fitness.

Some reporters have stood up to call out Washington reporters for not backing their fellow journalists who face attacks and insults from the president. Former CNN anchor Don Lemon last month urged White House reporters to “stand up” and have “some dignity and backbone.”