“Stupid and Nasty”: Trump goes after Kaitlan Collins

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins briefly responded after former President Donald Trump attacked her on Truth Social over reporting related to the planned White House ballroom expansion.

In a weekend post, Trump called Collins “stupid and nasty,” misspelling her first name while criticizing her coverage of the project’s escalating costs and the recent replacement of the original architect. The ballroom, which has doubled in scale since planning began, has drawn scrutiny for its projected price tag and for the administration’s lack of public detail about the renovation.

(Instagram Screenshot) Screenshot of CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins’ response to President Trump’s attack on her following a recent press conference.

Collins’ response came in an Instagram Story, where she shared a screenshot of Trump’s message with a short caption: “Technically, my question was about Venezuela.” The remark referenced her questioning at a public event last week, where she had pressed Trump on foreign policy. Coverage of the ballroom’s cost increase had appeared in multiple outlets, including CNN, PEOPLE and Entertainment Weekly.

Trump’s criticism centered on reporting that the project’s estimated cost has risen from roughly $200 million to about $300 million, after changes in design scope and the decision to replace the lead architect. The White House has not issued updated figures but said in earlier briefings that the expansion represents “a significant modernization of executive event space.”

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The exchange adds to a pattern in which Trump has publicly targeted journalists, especially female journalists, following questions about administration priorities or spending.