Trump Blasts CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Over UN Presence After White House Ban

Trump questions why CNN's chief White House correspondent appeared at the United Nations after he banned the network from the White House, calling her and other journalists “treasonous” in a late-night post.

First Published: September 23, 2026, 12:05 AM ET

WASHINGTON D.C. — Donald J. Trump lashed out at CNN and its chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, questioning why the network covered his appearance at the United Nations General Assembly after he banned it from the White House.

Here is the full post on truthsocial: “All of the SLEAZEBAGS, like Third Rate “Reporter,” Kaitlan Collins, of Fake News CNN, a truly unhappy person, said they weren’t going to be covering me. Then why were they ranting and raving like Lunatics, in the Press Area, at the United Nations? Why was she there? She’s got a “TRUMP” addiction, and so does CNN and MSDNC. They’re all sick, treasonous, and demented! The “good news” is that they have a great, for them, and totally disloyal Judge. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! Trump” on September 22, 2026 at 11:53 PM ET.

This is Trump’s 4th message released today, and the last post was 5 hours ago, and it is not part of a thread. On average, Trump produces 17 posts per day since his inauguration on January 20, 2025. The move fits a broader pattern in Trump’s recent messaging, with 3 of his 31 posts over the last 30 days classified as Media bias posts.

At the UN General Assembly on September 22, Trump told reporters he was “surprised” CNN was covering him and that the network “shouldn’t be here,” according to theguardian. The confrontation moved the running feud between Trump and Collins from the White House briefing room to an international diplomatic stage where his administration held no formal authority to restrict press access.

Collins, CNN’s chief White House correspondent and anchor, has drawn repeated public attacks from Trump. In the Oval Office on June 3, Trump called CNN “crooked as hell” and “a very corrupt organization,” then turned to Collins directly: “I see her standing there with hatred in her eyes,” according to usatoday. Trump told Collins to “be quiet” when she attempted to interject and suggested changing CNN’s ownership to “straighten it out,” according to usatoday. CNN responded with a statement calling Collins “an exceptional journalist” who reports “with real depth and tenacity,” according to usatoday.

The September 22 post followed an earlier attack on September 9, when Trump called Collins “very dumb and unhappy” after a panel she hosted on which a New York Times reporter described a Trump rally in South Carolina as half empty and having “really low” energy, according to yahoo. Trump wrote in that post that Collins had a panel “where discussions were all FICTION AND LIES” and that CNN was “fading FAST,” according to yahoo.

Trump’s conflict with Collins stretches back years. She was banned from a White House event during his first administration in 2018, according to usatoday. In February of his current term, Trump told her in the Oval Office, “You are the worst reporter. CNN has no ratings because of people like you,” according to usatoday. Collins won the White House Correspondents’ Association Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure for her reporting on the February 2025 Oval Office confrontation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, according to salon. At the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump called the award “fake” and said she “shouldn’t get” it, according to salon.