In an unrequested response to a heated exchange between President Donald Trump and CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, Vice President JD Vance advised the White House press corps to “have some fun” and avoid taking themselves too seriously.
The 41-year-old Vice President commented on an incident that occurred on Tuesday, Jan. 6, when Trump, 79, disrupted Collins, 33, as she tried to ask a question about individuals linked to Jeffrey Epstein. Trump attacked the CNN correspondent personally, scrutinizing her behaviour and casting doubt on her credibility.
“You are so bad. You know, you are the worst reporter. No wonder—CNN has no ratings because of people like you. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. I’ve known you for 10 years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face,” Trump said during the altercation.
Trump cut off Collins as she was asking a question about Epstein survivors. He continued his criticism, alleging that Collins’ lack of smile was due to dishonesty and labelled CNN as a deceitful organization.
During an interview with Megyn Kelly on Wednesday, the Vice President regarded Trump’s comment as discerning.
Vance observed that despite her serious questioning, the president retorted with “Why don’t you ever smile,” which he found surprisingly astute. He proposed that even when a journalist is asking a difficult question or approaching the job with seriousness, it doesn’t necessarily need to appear hostile.
Vance asserted that journalists behave differently when the opposite party is in power, implying the White House press corps exhibits political bias.
Vance suggested that trust in the media would increase if journalists exhibited a range of emotions. He stated that constant anger appears insincere as no one is angry all the time.
This altercation underscores the ongoing friction between the Trump administration and the media, especially female journalists who have been repeatedly targeted by the president. The Jan. 6 incident wasn’t the first time Trump clashed with Collins.
In April, Trump labeled Collins a low-rated anchor during a press briefing. The president intensified his language in December when he posted on Truth Social, disparaging her as “Stupid and Nasty.” Trump’s confrontational behaviour towards Collins and several other female reporters has been a recurring theme throughout his political tenure.
Trump’s relationship with the press has been consistently contentious, with the president often berating journalists who pose challenging questions. His criticism typically targets the integrity of news organizations and the personal traits of individual reporters, particularly women.
Vance’s remarks describing Trump’s behaviour as “perceptive” extend the administration’s adversarial stance towards mainstream media. By presenting Collins’ professional conduct as an issue, the vice president seemed to legitimize Trump’s personal attacks as valid criticism.
This incident also highlights questions about gender differences in presidential press interactions. Trump’s focus on Collins’ facial expressions mirrors criticisms that female journalists encounter different and more personal attacks than their male colleagues.
Vance’s portrayal of press questioning as “antagonistic” mirrors a wider administration sentiment that views assertive journalism as improper instead of as a required check on powerful officials. His suggestion that reporters should express different emotions implies that tough questioning indicates personal animosity rather than professional responsibility.
Trump’s claim of knowing Collins for 10 years without seeing her smile indicates a prolonged personal animosity predating his current term in office.
