CNN Anchor Kaitlan Collins Praises Karoline Levitt for Sticking Up for Her During Saudi Arabia Trip — Despite Pair's Public Rivalry
Kaitlan Collins and Karoline Leavitt have had a contentious relationship.
Feb. 13 2026, Published 11:13 a.m. ET
Despite the pair's public rivalry, CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins praised White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for sticking up for her during a Saudi Arabia trip, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
In an appearance on Heather McMahan’s Absolutely Not podcast that was released on February 11, Collins, 33, revealed the story about Leavitt, 28, coming to her defense.
What Happened In Saudi Arabia?
Kaitlan Collins explained the Royal Guard in Saudi Arabia told her she was not invited to an event after shouting a question to President Trump.
Collins explained she was on a trip to Saudi Arabia with the White House press pool when the kingdom's Royal Guard almost stopped her from doing her job.
"They famously do not like the media there, to put it lightly, and I asked a shouted question to President Trump, who had seen me when the U.S. press came in," she shared. "He didn’t answer, which is how it works – you shout questions, they either answer or they don't, it’s their prerogative."
Collins noted the Royal Guard wasn't used to reporters behaving like this, as they "don’t have a free press," and thus they told her she was not invited to the next event, which was taking place two minutes later.
What Did Karoline Leavitt Do?
Karoline Leavitt insisted Kaitlan Collins was coming to a press event after the Royal Guard in Saudi Arabia said she wasn't.
Collins noted she told them "that's not how it works" as she "belongs to the U.S. press."
"Well, you're not coming in," she said they reiterated.
She then revealed the Royal Guard turned to Leavitt, who ended up having her back.
"They went to Karoline, and to her credit, she said, 'No, Kaitlan's coming in with the rest of the U.S. press,' and we went in, and so it didn't become this big issue," Collins shared.
"She, without a doubt, was like, 'No, you’re coming in.' Which I do think is important in that moment, especially when you’re the U.S. contingent abroad, and we don't do things like they do in Saudi Arabia."
Kaitlan Collins and Karoline Leavitt's Sordid History
Karoline Leavitt called out Kaitlan Collins in December 2025 after she asked a question about Donald Trump's tariffs.
Regardless of Leavitt's act of goodwill toward Collins, the two have had a contentious relationship in the past.
Aside from branding CNN as a network that pushes "untrue narratives" about Donald Trump, Leavitt called out Collins in December 2025 when she asked a question about Trump's tariffs.
"Again, with respect to affordability, every economic metric – Kaitlan, and I wish you would report more on it – does, in fact, show that the economy is getting better and brighter than where it was," Leavitt said at the time.
Kaitlan Collins Details the 'Naturally Tense Relationship' Between the Press and the Press Secretary
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Kaitlan Collins said she doesn't think 'you should have an amazing relationship with whoever the press secretary is.'
Collins has also gone at Leavitt for things she's done while in Trump's administration, including dismissing Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick’s ties to disgraced financier Jeffrey Epstein.
Regardless of their history, Collins explained on the podcast that there is always a "naturally tense relationship between the press and the press secretary."
"You’re covering things that they're trying to spin in the best light for their boss, you’re asking questions that maybe they don’t want to fully answer," she said.
"So that is something that always exists. I don’t think you should have an amazing relationship with whoever the press secretary is because it’s just at odds with the nature of your job."
