President Donald Trump turned the rescheduled White House Correspondents’ Dinner into a stage for personal attacks, aimed at politicians, public figures, and, of course, those he deems his enemies.
Trump took a special and cruel pleasure in attacking CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins shortly after she received an award for her press coverage.
Addressing a room packed with hundreds of journalists and government officials, Trump launched into a series of disparaging remarks targeting Collins’s award, her appearance, and her on-camera expression. It should be noted that the 80-year-old president is obsessed with the journalist. He has targeted her many times over the years.
Donald Trump Bullies Kaitlan Collins Over an Award And Appearance
Attempting to diminish Collins’s journalism award for her coverage of his Oval Office exchange with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Trump told the audience that the recognition was illegitimate and centered entirely around him.
Trump stated: “I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award. It was all about me. It’s a fake — she shouldn’t get the award; it was a fake. But I didn’t mind, I said, ‘Kaitlan, congratulations.’ But it was fake, there’s no question about it.”
Continuing his public critique of the White House correspondent as she watched from a nearby table, Trump focused heavily on her facial expressions and demeanor. Trump claimed: “She’s a young, attractive woman. 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, smile.’”
The journalist, who seemed accustomed to Trump’s inappropriate comments, remained calm and put on a brave face throughout the ordeal.
President Delivers Uncomfortable Bud Light Joke
Following his comments about her demeanor, Trump attempted a roast-style joke comparing Collins to trans influencer Dylan Mulvaney and referencing the 2023 Bud Light boycott. Trump stated: “I thought Kaitlan 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.”
Pivoting his address toward the financial fallout of the corporate ad campaign, Trump stated: “Dylan Mulvaney cost Bud Light $35 billion in market cap. That was the worst commercial ever made, by the way, for those few people who want to hear that. Most people don’t care, but I would. I wouldn’t want to hire Dylan any time soon.”
Trump added: “Think of it, they hired Dylan Mulvaney and their market cap has gone down by $35 billion. Who wrote that commercial?”
Wolf Blitzer Delivers Instant Karma With Epstein Award Presentation
The evening took a sharp turn when the podium was turned over to award presentations honoring investigative reporting on Trump’s past associations. Instant karma unfolded as CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer presented The Wall Street Journal with the Katharine Graham Award for Courage and Accountability for their reporting on the administration’s handling of the Jeffrey Epstein files and a signed letter from Trump to the late sex offender.
Presenting the award directly in front of the president, CNN anchor Wolf Blitzer stated: “The Journal’s courageous reporting on President Trump’s past relationship with financier Jeffrey Epstein triggered the release of the so-called ‘Epstein files,’ thousands of documents that might otherwise have remained hidden from the public. And despite the president’s threat of a lawsuit, the Journal published a story about a provocative letter to Epstein bearing Trump’s signature.”
Humiliating Stage Moment Concludes Awkward Evening
Underscoring the legal retaliations and pressure faced by the news outlet, Blitzer continued: “Trump quickly filed a $20 billion lawsuit against the Journal, revealing reporter Khadeeja Safdar’s home address. Her family had to be relocated. The Journal was kicked off Air Force One. But the reporters continued to file revelatory stories.”
As the winning journalism team took the stage right before him, Trump was forced to watch the honors, laugh off the awkward moment, and shake hands with the very investigative reporters whose work exposed his past connections.
