Trump blasts CNN reporter at UN after White House ban

US President Donald Trump on Tuesday attacked CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins at the United Nations General Assembly in New York, telling her she had no business covering his appearance after the administration barred the network from White House grounds along with Politico and MS NOW.

The confrontation erupted when Collins questioned Trump regarding when the Iran war would end, prompting an immediate rebuke from the president: "You should not be here covering me. You said you weren't going to cover me. You shouldn't be covering me." Collins responded that the United Nations had independently credentialed her organization to report on the 81st General Assembly high-level debate.

'Sleazebags' and 'fake news'

Trump later expanded his attack on his Truth Social platform, writing: "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." He stated that news organizations maintain an "addiction" to his presidency and described network personnel as "sick, treasonous, and demented."

Legal battle over press access

The dispute follows the Trump administration's decision last week to revoke press credentials for CNN, Politico and MS NOW, effectively barring their journalists from attending briefings and working inside the White House complex. Media companies have contested the revocations in federal court, sparking ongoing litigation over the limits of executive authority and constitutional press freedoms in Washington.