During a press briefing on February 3, President Donald Trump told Kaitlan Collins, CNN’s chief White House correspondent, that she should smile more while doing her job.
While questioning Trump about the latest batch of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, Collins tried to ask the president what he would say to survivors who haven’t gotten justice. Trump interrupted the reporter and immediately went on the attack. “You are the worst reporter,” he said. “You know, she’s a young woman,” he added, briefly turning to address someone else before turning his attention back to Collins. “I don’t think I've ever seen you smile. I’ve known you for 10 years. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face.”
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Collins tried to explain that she was asking about survivors of sexual assault, which is not usually cause for smiling, but Trump continued to speak over her. He also said “no wonder CNN... CNN has no ratings because of people like you.”
Let's say it again: It is not appropriate to reprimand a woman for not smiling while she is doing her job. It is infantilizing, disrespectful, and one of the most banal forms of sexism. It is offensive at any time, but in this context it feels particularly shocking. Donald Trump has been credibly accused of sexual assault many times, and newly released documents in the Epstein files include additional, still unverified claims against him, according to CNN. To belittle the journalist asking about these claims in such sexist terms is astonishing.
Though not surprising. Trump frequently attacks Kaitlan Collins using misogynistic language. He has called her “stupid and nasty” and says she knows “nothing about nothing.” And he has used similarly offensive language to berate other female journalists who ask about Epstein, in one case telling a reporter, “Quiet, piggy.”
Well, we’re not smiling.
