At a press conference in the Oval Office this week, President Donald Trump berated CNN’s Kaitlan Collins for “not smiling” after she asked about the Justice Department’s investigation of convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
“I’ve known you for 10 years,” Trump said from behind the Resolute Desk. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face.”
It wasn’t the first time Trump lashed out at Collins and other female journalists. Last year, he cut off a Bloomberg News reporter who asked about the Epstein files by snapping, “Quiet! Quiet, piggy.”
Women who have been told to smile throughout their careers sounded off on social media.
“It has never been a good idea to tell women to smile more,” Caroline Dettman, chief marketing officer and head of growth operations at World Business Chicago, wrote on LinkedIn. “Even if it isn’t intended, the way it lands is both disrespectful and misogynist. I know because I’ve been told to smile more my entire career by bosses, clients, partners and colleagues.”
