Trump Clashes With CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Over Epstein Files

It was a tense scene in the Oval Office on February 3, 2026, as President Donald Trump found himself at the center of controversy following a heated exchange with CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins. Collins, serving as CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent and anchor of The Source, pressed Trump on the recently released but heavily redacted Epstein Files—a move that quickly drew the president’s ire and ignited a broader conversation about press freedom, survivor justice, and the persistent friction between Trump and members of the media.

As Collins questioned Trump about the Justice Department’s document dump related to the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, she highlighted the dissatisfaction of Epstein survivors with the extensive redactions, including entire FBI witness interviews blacked out. “A lot of women who are survivors of Epstein are unhappy with those redactions that came out—some of them entire witness interviews—are totally blacked out. Do you think that they should be more transparent?” Collins asked, according to Deadline and The Independent.

Trump, visibly agitated, dismissed the question and launched a personal attack on Collins. “You are the worst reporter,” he barked. “No wonder CNN has no ratings, because of people like you.” He didn’t stop there, turning to the room and adding, “You know, she’s a young woman. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. I’ve known you for 10 years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face. You know why? You know why you’re not smiling, because you know you’re not telling the truth and you’re a very dishonest organization, and they should be ashamed of you.”

Collins attempted to respond, pointing out the seriousness of the subject matter: “Well, I’m asking you about survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, Mr. President,” she managed before Trump interrupted her and moved on to another reporter. The exchange, witnessed by administration officials and a room full of journalists, quickly became the talk of Washington.

Trump’s response to the substance of Collins’ question was equally dismissive. He insisted that the country should move on from the Epstein files, declaring, “I think it’s really time for the country to get onto something else now that nothing came out about me other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally, by Epstein and other people. But I think it’s time now for the country to maybe get onto something like health care, something that people care about.” He further claimed that any mention of his associates in the files—such as Elon Musk and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick—was likely “fine” because otherwise “there would have been major headlines.”

Collins, undeterred, later appeared on CNN’s The Lead with Jake Tapper to reflect on the incident and reiterate the importance of transparency for Epstein survivors. “Jake, this is something where the survivors here have been at the center of this, and they have been the people who have said they’re unhappy with what has come out of the Justice Department here so far,” she said. “I just spoke to one on Friday night who was saying that entire witness interviews with the FBI were redacted. The entire page was blacked out. And so these are real questions.” She added, “As the President is saying, it’s time to move on, there’s many people—including a lot of his own supporters—who do not feel that way.”

Within 45 minutes of the Oval Office exchange, CNN issued a statement in support of Collins, describing her as “an exceptional journalist, reporting every day from the White House and the field with real depth and tenacity. She skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day, which audiences around the world know they can trust.”

This latest episode is just one in a long line of Trump’s verbal attacks on female reporters during his second term. In December 2025, he labeled Collins “stupid and nasty” after she questioned him about the cost of a new White House ballroom. The previous month, he called Bloomberg News’ Catherine Lucey “quiet piggy”—a remark White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt later defended as “very frank and honest commentary.” In January 2026, ABC News’ Rachel Scott was dubbed “the most obnoxious reporter” for asking about Trump’s stance on releasing military footage. Other journalists, including CBS News’ Nancy Cordes, New York Times’ Katie Rogers, and ABC News’ Mary Bruce, have similarly faced Trump’s ire, being called “stupid person,” “third rate,” “ugly,” “horrible,” and “insubordinate.”

The president’s pattern of disparaging remarks has drawn criticism from across the media landscape. MSNBC’s Nicole Wallace didn’t mince words, stating, “This is sick shit. This is sick.” She warned of the risk of normalizing such behavior, asking whether the press corps would “act as one and say, ‘No more.’” On the same day as the Oval Office incident, former Fox News anchor and frequent CNN contributor Gretchen Carlson also publicly condemned Trump’s conduct.

Trump’s approach to the press—and to Collins in particular—has become emblematic of the broader tensions between his administration and the media. Collins, who began her journalism career in 2016 as a White House correspondent for the Daily Caller before joining CNN in 2017, has covered both of Trump’s terms and risen to anchor status in 2023. Her persistence in addressing difficult topics, such as the Epstein files and justice for survivors, has earned her both praise and scorn, depending on whom you ask.

Public reaction to the exchange has been swift and divided. Some of Trump’s supporters echo his calls to “move on” from the Epstein saga, arguing that the redacted files contain no new information implicating the president. Others, including many survivors and their advocates, insist that the Justice Department owes the public—and especially the victims—greater transparency. The fact that entire witness interviews remain blacked out has fueled suspicions of a cover-up or, at the very least, a failure to deliver justice.

Media figures like Piers Morgan have weighed in, dismissing Trump’s comments about Collins’ demeanor as irrelevant to her professional work, while also noting that Collins “smiles a LOT.” The debate over whether the president’s personal attacks on journalists—particularly women—reflect a deeper issue of misogyny or simply an adversarial relationship with the press remains unresolved, but it’s clear that such encounters are unlikely to fade from public view anytime soon.

As the dust settles from this latest Oval Office confrontation, the core issues—transparency for survivors, the role of the media in holding power to account, and the boundaries of presidential decorum—remain as pressing as ever. For Kaitlan Collins and her colleagues, the work goes on, undeterred by insults or attempts at deflection. For the public, the question of what justice for Epstein’s victims truly looks like is still very much alive.

In the aftermath, the story stands as a stark reminder of the ongoing struggle for accountability, both in the halls of power and in the stories that shape our national consciousness.