Jump to contentThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged inAllNewsSportCultureLifestyleCNN's Kaitlan Collins responded to insults from President Donald Trump at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, where he criticized her for "never smiling." Appearing on The Daily Show, Collins stated she took the high road, emphasizing that the focus should remain on her journalistic work and the questions asked, rather than a personal back-and-forth. “I’ve always felt this, regardless of who's the president, whether it's Joe Biden, Donald Trump,” she began. “It's really not about me, and I don't want it to be about my reaction. And so I think if you let it become about that, then it becomes a back and forth between the two of us.”Collins expressed that she was "not surprised" by the president's remarks, noting that such comments occur regularly, but was surprised by the quiet reaction from his staffers and allies in the room. President Trump also questioned an award Collins was congratulated for, claiming it was "fake" and that she "shouldn’t get the award." Following the event, prominent journalists, including Peter Baker and media columnists, called for an end to the annual dinner, arguing it did not advance the cause of defending press freedom. In fullCNN’s Kaitlan Collins breaks silence on Trump’s WHCD insults and tells Jon Stewart what really bothered presidentMore bulletinsThank you for registeringPlease refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in

“Smile, you have a nice position, you’re at CNN fake news, you should be a happy person,” Trump said.

President Trump’s comments aimed at CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during the WHCD have ignited backlash.