On December 6, 2025, President Donald Trump criticized CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins on Truth Social, referring to her as “stupid and nasty.” This comment followed her report on Trump’s controversial White House ballroom construction project. The president’s post mistakenly spelled her name as “Caitlin Collin’s” and is part of a recent series of personal attacks on female journalists.
The issue originated from Collins’ broadcast on December 4, where she reported that Trump had disagreements with the original architect of the ballroom project. Collins noted significant increases in both the size and cost of the construction, with the budget rising from $200 million to $300 million. These changes prompted Trump to hire a new architect to manage the expanded plans.
In a detailed Truth Social post, Trump defended the increased costs by citing the project’s expanded scope. He asserted that the ballroom would be “double the size” of the initial plans, with improved quality of finishes and interiors. “It’s just much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned,” he stated. Trump emphasized that no taxpayer money was involved, as the project is funded through private donations. Despite the changes in size and budget, he claimed the project remains “actually under budget and ahead of schedule, as my jobs always are.”
Trump’s criticism extended to CNN and its leadership, labeling the network “FAKE NEWS CNN” and criticizing its ownership. He also remarked on the network’s viewership, asserting that their ratings were low.
Neither CNN nor Collins initially addressed Trump’s comments. Collins later commented on the incident via Instagram, clarifying that her question to Trump was about Venezuela. “Technically, my question was about Venezuela,” she wrote in response to Trump’s post.
The confusion relates to ongoing tensions between the United States and Venezuela, with the Trump administration conducting airstrikes on drug boats and threatening land strikes over allegations of narcotics imports into the U.S. Collins questioned Trump on these threats during the 2026 FIFA World Cup draw on December 5. Still, the president shifted the focus to his foreign policy achievements.
This incident is part of a pattern of Trump targeting female journalists who ask challenging questions. In November, he called reporter Catherine Lucey “Piggy” after a question, drawing criticism from the journalism community, including support from Collins. Additionally, Trump referred to New York Times reporter Katie Rogers as ugly and called CBS News reporter Nancy Cordes a “stupid person” over a question about the National Guard shooting suspect.
These incidents raise concerns about the relationship between the president and the press, particularly female journalists tasked with holding the administration accountable. While press interactions with presidents have always been contentious, Trump’s personal attacks, often involving insults about intelligence and appearance, diverge from traditional responses to critical coverage.
The White House ballroom project, central to this controversy, continues to be debated regarding its necessity, cost, and funding. Trump’s assertion that private donations will cover expenses does not fully address transparency concerns, especially with the project’s budget increase.
As the situation unfolds, this incident highlights the ongoing tensions between Trump and media organizations covering his administration. The president’s pattern of personal attacks on journalists, notably women, continues as he progresses through his second term.
