President Trump on Tuesday confronted CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins at the United Nations General Assembly, questioning why she was covering him after his administration barred CNN, MS Now, and Politico from White House grounds. The encounter, captured on camera, underscored the escalating standoff between the administration and major news organizations over access.
As Collins attempted to ask a question before Trump's address to the UNGA, the president interrupted, saying, "You should not be here covering me." He added, "You said you weren't going to cover me. You shouldn't be covering me." Collins, who was credentialed by the UN independently of the White House, later clarified on air that CNN "never said we were not going to cover the president." She emphasized that the network would continue reporting on his activities at the UN, just not with a camera from the White House pool.
The confrontation follows the administration's decision to revoke press credentials for CNN, MS Now, and Politico, a move that prompted the other major networks in the White House TV pool—ABC, CBS, Fox, and NBC—to suspend their own pool coverage in solidarity. The White House Correspondents' Association has criticized the ban as a violation of press freedom.
Later Tuesday, Trump took to Truth Social to attack Collins, labeling her a "Third Rate 'Reporter'" and accusing her of having a "TRUMP addiction." He wrote, "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. Why was she there? She's got a 'TRUMP' addiction, and so does CNN and MSDNC. They're all sick, treasonous, and demented!"
The banned outlets have filed a lawsuit challenging the administration's actions, citing First Amendment violations. The case is set to be heard Wednesday afternoon by U.S. District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee who previously oversaw a similar challenge from CNN's Jim Acosta. In a late Tuesday filing, the Justice Department argued that White House access is a "privilege," not a right, and urged the judge to dismiss the case.
Trump, in his Truth Social post, acknowledged the judge's assignment, writing, "The 'good news' is that they have a great, for them, and totally disloyal Judge." The president suggested he expects to lose the case but did not commit to complying with a potential ruling.
The dispute has broader implications for press coverage of the president, as the press ban heads to court while Trump engages in a busy schedule of diplomatic meetings at the UN. Meanwhile, the president's approval ratings have slipped to 29%, and Republicans are bracing for potential midterm backlash, as recent polling indicates.
Despite the ban, CNN, MS Now, and Politico have continued to cover Trump at the UN using credentials issued by the international body, as they did on Tuesday. The legal battle, however, remains unresolved, with press freedom advocates closely watching the outcome.
