'It's Not a Laughing Matter': CNN's Kaitlan Collins Slams Donald Trump After Being Called 'Worst Reporter' for Question About Epstein Survivors

CNN Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins is a frequent foil of President Donald Trump and said she remains unfazed by him, adding that his latest criticism of her is no laughing — or smiling — matter.

During an Oval Office press briefing on Tuesday, February 3, Trump lashed out at the intrepid Collins for her line of questioning on the Epstein files, scorching her for "not smiling."

Collins asked the thin-skinned president what he would say to dead child trafficker Jeffrey Epstein's survivors — who feel they have not yet seen justice.

Trump deflected the question, calling Collins the "worst reporter" and remarking to others in the room, "You know she's a young woman. I don't think I've ever seen you smile."

He continued by accusing her of being "dishonest" and suggesting that her lack of a smile was because she knew she was not telling the truth.

While appearing on the "Absolutely Not" podcast on Wednesday, February 11, the CNN anchor declared: "It’s not a laughing matter, I don’t think, to talk about s** trafficking victims. And I’ve interviewed a lot of these women who were underage girls at the time and their stories are powerful."

"In that moment, I was thinking, the question is about what these victims think," Collins said. "It wasn’t even anything accusatory of Trump himself, which I think in itself is revealing of how he thinks about it and how he is viewing it through the lens of himself."

"It’s not about me. It’s not about me smiling and my expressions. It’s what these women think about what your administration has done. And so I think that’s why that moment resonated with so many people because just the issue at hand," she added.

Various commentators and body language experts labeled Trump's remarks as a "sexist microaggression" and a "reality distortion field" intended to demean a female journalist, but Collins remained undeterred and said that covering him for a decade has given her thicker skin.

She said it "doesn’t really surprise me that often with his responses," but given the seriousness of the topic, it had resonated with her especially, prompting her stern response.

Trump has a history of snapping at journalists.

While flying to Florida on Air Force One, Trump lashed out at another female reporter, telling her she had a “very bad attitude” after she questioned him over a reported split within the MAGA base over his immigration agenda.

"Where are you from?" Trump snapped at The Washington Post reporter Natalie Allison. "Washington Post? Are you having a hard time getting readers? The Washington Post is doing very poorly… You have a very bad attitude. Go ahead."