Sarah Matthews, a former Trump White House Deputy Press Secretary, condemned Donald Trump’s comments about CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins as “disgusting” and part of a pattern of “misogynistic attacks” on female journalists.
Donald Trump’s remarks about the abandoned $1.8 billion Anti-Weaponization Fund didn’t stay confined to policy for long. Midway through answering another reporter’s question on Wednesday. June 3. he pivoted to a personal jab at CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins—telling the room that “she’s a young beautiful woman — never smiles. ” and suggesting the look on her face reflected “hatred in her eyes.”.
Trump repeated the attack after Collins referenced Republican concerns that the proposed fund could compensate January 6 rioters convicted of assaulting police officers. He derided the coverage as “the fake news” and continued to name CNN and other outlets while criticizing Collins directly.
Former Trump spokesperson Sarah Matthews took aim at Trump’s comments soon after. During an appearance on Newsnight, Matthews called the attack “disgusting,” saying Trump’s behavior showed discomfort with Collins’ reporting.
“I will say that during my time working as deputy press secretary in the first Trump administration, Kaitlan Collins was the one reporter that scared [former White House Press Secretary] Kayleigh McEnany and President Trump the most,” Matthews said on the program.
Matthews added, “Kaitlan Collins is a very, very good reporter. She’s the best at what she does.” She also argued that Trump targets Collins more aggressively than other journalists in the room.
“And I think that’s why you see Trump go after her more ferociously than any other reporter in that room. And it is disgusting to watch him tell a woman that she needs to smile while doing her job,” she said.
She didn’t stop there. Matthews pointed to Trump’s broader history of remarks aimed at female reporters, describing them as “misogynistic attacks.”
“I wish that … this wasn’t normalized and that we weren’t desensitized to this type of behavior from the president. But it really is appalling,” Matthews said.
Fellow journalists and media figures quickly rallied in support of Collins. A CNN spokesperson praised Collins in a statement to The Independent. describing her as “an exceptional journalist” who reports “with real depth and tenacity.” The spokesperson added that Collins “skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day. which audiences around the world know they can trust.”.
Editor Amanda Carpenter also weighed in on X, writing, “I’m sure Kaitlan Collins is not rattled in the least by these casual, sexist, repeated attacks by Trump.”
Trump’s comments about Collins fit into a wider record that critics say shows him repeatedly lashing out at female journalists during press moments. In early May. Trump attacked ABC News reporter Rachel Scott. calling her “a horror show” and “a disgrace to our country. ” after she questioned the administration’s focus on renovating the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool during a period of economic strain for many Americans.
Another incident dates back to November 2025, when Trump snapped at Bloomberg’s White House correspondent Catherine Lucey, saying, “Quiet, piggy,” after she asked him a question about the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The sequence—from the Anti-Weaponization Fund remarks on June 3 to the follow-up comments targeting Collins again—left Matthews and many in the press questioning not just the topic of the day, but the tone Trump chooses when female reporters push back.
Donald Trump Sarah Matthews Kaitlan Collins CNN Newsnight misogynistic attacks Anti-Weaponization Fund Kayleigh McEnany January 6 rioters Rachel Scott Catherine Lucey Jeffrey Epstein files Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool Amanda Carpenter
Honestly sounds gross. Like why is he even talking about her face/smile at all.
I didn’t even know the fund thing was about paying January 6 stuff, but Trump being like “young beautiful woman” is straight up creepy. Sarah Matthews is right. Also CNN always gets drama for clicks anyway.
Wait so she attacked him because he said “never smiles”?? That’s not even misogyny, that’s like… reporter personality? Idk people are mad at everything. And if the fund is fake news then it’s fake news 🤷
The part about him saying there’s “hatred in her eyes” is so unhinged. Like men always do this thing where they stare at a woman and pretend they can read her mind. Matthews saying Collins scared them the most sounds believable too, because Trump clearly reacts when CNN brings up the hard questions. But also I’m confused how an “Anti-Weaponization Fund” turns into anything about January 6… sounds like they’re mixing bills or headlines or whatever.