Trump Confronts CNN's Kaitlan Collins at UN: 'You Should Not Be Here Covering Me'
President Donald Trump got into a verbal exchange with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins at the United Nations General Assembly meeting Tuesday, just days after her network and two others were banned from the White House.
As Trump walked out to greet reporters, Collins began yelling, “Two-thirds of Americans don’t think the U.S. is winning the war with Iran. When will it end?”
“It’s an honor to be here; I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me,” the president replied.
“The United Nations allowed us in,” Collins shot back.
“You should not be here covering me,” Trump answered. “You said you weren’t gonna cover me. You shouldn’t be covering me.”
Trump was referring to a media boycott of the White House by other networks after CNN, Politico, and MS NOW filed a federal lawsuit, seeking to have their credentials and access reinstated.
ABC, CBS, CNN, Fox News, and NBC agreed to suspend their White House pool coverage in solidarity with the affected outlets.
Collins attempted to ask her question again and began speaking over Trump.
“We’re making a lot of progress,” he said of Iran. “Thank you very much, everybody.”
Collins yelled her question one last time before Trump departed.
She also posted a video of the confrontation on X with the caption, “We are credentialed by the United Nations to cover the General Assembly.”
We are credentialed by the United Nations to cover the General Assembly. https://t.co/FTwPE7ENgv
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) September 22, 2026
Trump announced the media ban on Friday with a Truth Social post accusing the three organizations of false reporting.
“I am proud to announce that, effective immediately, I am banning Fake News CNN, MSNOW (who recently changed their name from MSNBC due to lack of viewership and credibility!), and Politico (The recipients of an illegal and ridiculous $8 Million Dollar subscription, an All Time Record, directly from the United States Government, under Crooked Joe Biden, in order to keep them ‘alive.’ Seems like corruption to me!), from the White House as a result of their constant ‘reporting’ FAKE NEWS!” he wrote.
“Media Outlets shouldn’t be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they’re covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America. Other Fake News Media Outlets to follow.”
The commander in chief hinted that he’s considering banning more media outlets, specifically citing The New York Times and Washington Post, but he did not offer a definitive list.
“Well, look, The New York Times is fake news, Washington Post is fake — they’re crummy papers –both doing very poorly, by the way. But we’ll see,” Trump said.
“We’re probably not going to display the paper anymore in the White House. But we haven’t taken the step of throwing them out. But they’re fake news, totally. New York Times is so fake. Washington Post is disgusting,” he stated.
“I mean, they’re disgusting; I don’t get it. Why would they be — You know, we’re doing so well, and they’ll take the most positive story and make it as negative as possible.”
This isn’t the first time Trump has restricted White House access for a media outlet.
After the Associated Press refused to use the term “Gulf of America” instead of “Gulf of Mexico” following an executive order from the president, their reporters and photographers were banned from the Oval Office and Air Force One, but they were still able to access White House briefings.
The battle between Trump and the AP is still ongoing, but it appears the president currently has the upper hand.
After a federal judge sided with the AP, a D.C. Circuit Court of Appeals put that ruling on hold, stating that certain areas remain under the president’s control.
“The White House is likely to succeed on the merits because these restricted presidential spaces are not First Amendment fora opened for private speech and discussion,” the ruling read.
“The White House therefore retains discretion to determine, including on the basis of viewpoint, which journalists will be admitted.”
If Trump succeeds in the AP case, it could set a legal precedent for him to maintain the current bans and issue new ones in the future.
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