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Trump Smacks Down CNN Reporter During UN Briefing On Iran War

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President Donald Trump told CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins she should not be covering him at the United Nations on Tuesday morning. The Washington Examiner reported that the president shot down her question about the war in Iran. Collins asked, "Two thirds of Americans don't think the US is winning the war with Iran. When will it end?"

Trump replied directly to the reporter during the press brief. He stated, "It's an honor to be here. I'm surprised CNN is covering me." He added, "You should not be here covering me. You said you weren't going to cover me." This exchange happened just before his speech to the General Assembly.


Last week, the president banned CNN, MS Now, and Politico from the White House grounds. The Washington Examiner noted that these networks filed a joint lawsuit against the administration on Monday. They allege the ban violates their due process rights and the First Amendment.


Despite the ban, Collins secured access to the UN event. She posted on social media, "We are credentialed by the United Nations to cover the General Assembly." When pressed on her presence, she told the president, "The UN allowed us in, sir." The RedState outlet covered her response to the president's comments.

The television pool, which includes ABC, CBS, Fox News, and NBC News, announced a boycott. Breitbart reported that the pool chair Bryan Boughton said, "The TV pool will not be covering events designated as pool coverage of the President." Boughton explained this follows the White House position preventing CNN from fulfilling its duties.


While addressing the crowd, the president focused on the state of the nation. Breitbart stated that Trump told the audience, "It is an honor to be at the United Nations, and we're making a lot of progress." He insisted that the country is doing well despite the criticism from the press.

Trump claimed the administration is winning on all fronts. He stated, "Our country is doing really, really well" during his remarks. He also insisted regarding the war that "we're making a lot of progress." These comments came as he walked to the podium for his main address.


The situation highlights the tension between the White House and major news outlets. Breitbart noted that the president's comments at a separate ribbon-cutting ceremony were drowned out by background noise. This suggests the press pool may have been trying to create a disruption.

Collins remains the only reporter from the banned networks to ask a question at this event. The legal battle over White House access continues as the lawsuit moves forward. The Washington Examiner confirmed that the networks are fighting for their right to report on the president.


President Trump made it clear he does not trust CNN to report the truth. He told the reporter, "You shouldn't be covering me" in a firm tone. The RedState outlet reported that Collins pushed back by citing her UN credentials. This clash sets the stage for more legal fights over press access.

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