Trump Slams CNN’s Kaitlan Collins as ‘Stupid and Nasty’ After Question on White House Ballroom Costs

Kaitlan Collins is the latest female journalist to come under fire from Donald Trump, who called her “stupid and nasty” after she questioned the price tag of his expansive White House ballroom renovation.

In a Truth Social post shared on Saturday, Dec. 6, the 79-year-old president lashed out at Collins — CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent and host of The Source with Kaitlan Collins — while also misspelling her name.

“Caitlin Collin’s of Fake News CNN, always Stupid and Nasty, asked me why the new Ballroom was costing more money than originally thought one year ago,” Trump wrote. “I said because it is going to be double the size, and the quality of finishes and interiors has been brought to the highest level. Also, the column SPAN has been substantially increased for purposes of viewing.”

Trump then insisted that the multi-million dollar renovation, first unveiled in July, is “under budget and ahead of schedule,” despite outside reports suggesting the opposite. The project was initially projected at $200 million, but Trump has since said it is expected to cost about $300 million — all of which, he claimed in October, is being covered by private donors, including himself.

“It is actually under budget and ahead of schedule, as my jobs always are,” he continued in the Dec. 6 post. “It’s just much bigger and more beautiful than originally planned.”

He added, “Interestingly, and seldom reported, there are no taxpayer dollars involved. It is being fully paid for by private donations. FAKE NEWS CNN, and the guy who runs the whole corrupt operation that owns it, is one of the worst in the business. Their ratings are so low that they’re not even counted or relevant anymore. MAGA!!!”

As part of the renovation, the White House demolished the East Wing in October to make way for the new ballroom. The plan has drawn criticism from some lawmakers, who have raised concerns about oversight and protections for the historic property.

Collins later appeared to poke fun at Trump’s comments. She reshared his post on her Instagram Stories and added a brief correction: “Technically my question was about Venezuela.”

Trump’s remarks about Collins are part of a broader pattern of him targeting women in the press. On Thanksgiving, he called another reporter “stupid” while speaking to journalists at Mar-a-Lago.

During that exchange, CBS News White House correspondent Nancy Cordes pressed Trump on the vetting of Rahmanullah Lakanwal, the suspect in a Washington, D.C., shooting that killed one National Guard member and injured another. Lakanwal was among hundreds of Afghans allowed into the United States under the Biden administration’s “Operation Allies Welcome” program in 2021 following the chaotic withdrawal from Kabul.

“Your DOJ IG just reported this year that there was thorough vetting by DHS and by the FBI of these Afghans who were brought into the U.S., so why do you blame the Biden administration?” Cordes asked.

Trump snapped back, “Because they let ’em in. Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?” He went on, “Because they came in on a plane along with thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here, and you’re just asking questions because you’re a stupid person.”

The Thanksgiving incident followed another personal attack the day before, when Trump insulted The New York Times reporter Katie Rogers on social media, calling her “ugly, both inside and out” after the paper published a story about how his age appears to have influenced his schedule during his second term.

Just weeks earlier, Trump had also gone after Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey when she asked whether there was anything incriminating in the Epstein emails. He pointed at her and angrily told her, “Quiet. Quiet, Piggy.”

At that time, Collins publicly defended Lucey, writing in a post on X that Lucey “does a great job.”