Staff Reports
Kaitlan Collins, a star reporter for CNN, recently found herself on the receiving end of a firm lesson in the new White House dynamic, courtesy of Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt. The spectacle unfolded during a routine press briefing when Collins, seemingly oblivious to the changing landscape of media relations, confronted Leavitt about the Associated Press, which had been temporarily removed from a press pool event. This incident, trivial in nature, was made to sound like a full-blown constitutional crisis by Collins, whose demeanor suggested that she missed the days when the press was treated as untouchables by those in power.
Collins, fresh off being reprimanded by President Trump for her ill-advised line of questioning on other pressing matters, aimed her frustration at Leavitt. She was particularly troubled that the AP had been excluded from the Oval Office, which, as it turns out, did not constitute a ban but rather a mere adjustment in who got to participate in an exclusive brief. In the grand scheme of things, this is hardly a major disaster; it merely shows that the current administration isn’t handing out access like candy to everyone who can shout the loudest.
In an appropriately pointed response, Leavitt made it abundantly clear that access to the Oval Office is a privilege, not a right. Addressing the room, she reminded reporters that hundreds of outlets would love the chance to ask the President questions, and the notion that one outlet holds a monopoly on that privilege is archaic. This was a subtle but effective way to remind Collins—and the rest of the press corps—that the days of legacy media dominance are over. The Trump administration is not here to play favorites, especially with those known for their biased reporting.
The reason for the AP’s transient exclusion revolved around their refusal to adopt the new naming convention for the Gulf of America, a term that is now recognized by the government and major tech entities. Collins, however, tried to spin the narrative into one of press freedom being jeopardized, suggesting that the administration was retaliating against outlets for not toeing the line. This dramatization of the situation was quickly shot down by Leavitt, who underscored that accuracy in reporting is paramount, and adherence to legitimate facts is the expectation, not the exception.
WATCH: Karoline Leavitt Shuts Down CNN's Kaitlan Collins Over White House Press Accesshttps://t.co/i3rMp8j0XM
— RedState (@RedState) February 12, 2025
As the exchange continued, it became increasingly evident that this isn’t about an affront to freedom of the press—this is about the press adapting to a new political reality where their credibility and standards are under scrutiny. Leavitt’s calm and reasoned stance was a lesson in how the Trump administration believes in accountability, not just to the press but also to the truth. Collins’s indignation simply highlighted her discomfort with the changing tides of interaction, where the mainstream media can no longer assume they are the only game in town.
In this new era, Leavitt’s approach signifies a refreshing change where media outlets are expected to play by the rules of trustworthiness. The so-called tantrums from Collins reveal a deeper truth: the traditional press’s days of calling the shots might just be over. It’s time for them to keep pace or risk being sidelined altogether, forced to reckon with the reality that this administration will not be cowed by tantrums or perceived injustices so easily.
