Donald Trump Tears Into Kaitlan Collins as Prez Calls CNN Reporter 'Very Dumb and Unhappy' in Fiery Rant
President Donald Trump hit out at Kaitlan Collins after a recent discussion panel.
Sept. 9 2026, Updated 2:45 p.m. ET
President Trump's feud with Kaitlan Collins has ramped up once again, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Collins hosted a special edition of CNN's The Source titled "Countdown to Election Night," which featured speculation about the upcoming midterm elections in November. The conversation featured a conservative strategist, who opted to speak poorly of Trump.
Donald Trump Tears Apart Kaitlan Collins in Rant
He claimed Collins and her guests were lying.
While Collins was facilitating the panel, Trump opted to throw low blows her way on Truth Social, calling her "very dumb and unhappy," and claiming she was part of a "fake news" organization.
He claimed the journalist pulled in "really low ratings" for the network, and raged that the panel's "discussions were all FICTION AND LIES."
Trump added, "You would think that CNN, which is suffering terribly in the TV Ratings, would get rid of their 3rd rate 'anchors' and try to bring credibility back to their once-storied network. It is fading FAST! See you all at the Republican National Convention tomorrow night!!! President DJT."
Kaitlan Collins' Guest Takes Swipe at President
Trump labeled Collins 'very dumb' in a fiery rant.
Collins' panel featured conservative strategist Doug Heye, New York Times reporter Shawn McCreesh, NOTUS correspondent Jasmine Wright, and the former communications director to Vice President Kamala Harris, Ashley Etienne.
Despite Heye's right-wing allegiance, he scoffed at Trump's current trajectory. "Donald wants to spend money on himself. He doesn't want to give things away," Heye claimed.
Trump previously called Collins a "corrupt reporter," encouraging her to smile more as she showed "hatred in her eyes."
Trump's Previous Feud With Kaitlan Collins
Trump previously compared Collins to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
During the White House Correspondents' Dinner, which was rescheduled after a gunman entered the building, Trump compared Collins to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
"I thought Kaitlan Collins had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn't her on the Bud Light can; it was Dylan Mulvaney," he said, mocking Mulvaney's sponsorship with Bud Light, which drew immense backlash from the right.
Trump added, "She never smiles. I said, ‘Kaitlan, do 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."
He followed up his comparison by sharing an edited image, morphing Mulvaney and Collins' faces together online.
Karoline Leavitt Clashes With Kaitlan Collins
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Karoline Leavitt previously tore into Collins from behind the podium.
Collins has repeatedly been put down by the Trump administration. She even received quippy feedback from his former press secretary, Karoline Leavitt.
During a press conference, Collins asked Leavitt about American casualties in Iran amid Operation Epic Fury. Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth had previously suggested the press, while reporting on the incident, wanted to "make the president look bad."
Collins pressed Leavitt, asking if Trump's administration backed those comments.
"That's not what the secretary said, Kaitlan, and that's not what the secretary meant – and you know it," Leavitt accused. "You know you are being disingenuous. We've never had a Secretary of Defense who cares more."
