President Donald Trump appeared determined to dictate the terms of the Oval Office exchange, working the room and testing the press for compliance. When one reporter didn’t cooperate, the encounter took a sharp turn — exposing how quickly his grip on the moment could unravel.
The tension came as Trump continues to struggle to escape questions surrounding the Epstein files, a controversy that has resurfaced repeatedly since his administration postponed releasing documents tied to convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein last summer.
On Tuesday, Feb. 3, CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins found herself squarely in Trump’s crosshairs.
Moments earlier in the briefing, as Trump reacted to House Speaker Mike Johnson showing off a new “America is back” hat, he abruptly shifted his focus to Collins — a tell that his irritation was already simmering before the confrontation fully erupted.
“Look, CNN is thrilled,” he said while pointing at Collins and drawing laughter from the crowd behind him. “She never smiles. Someday I’ll see her smile.”
One furious viewer mocked Trump’s initial moment with Collins, “He calls her CNN. Aww, he has a cute nickname for a reporter who thinks he is pond scum.”
“They laugh when he puts down female reporter disgusting,” another added.
Trump’s second exchange with Collins came against the backdrop of the Department of Justice releasing millions of Epstein-related documents earlier in the week, a disclosure that immediately drew criticism from survivors and advocates.
While many names of alleged abusers and correspondence tied to Epstein were heavily redacted, victims’ names and testimony were left exposed in numerous cases, prompting outrage that the release appeared to shield powerful figures while reopening wounds for those who had already endured significant trauma.
“Some of the women who were survivors of Epstein are unhappy with those redactions that came out,” Collins said. “Some of the entire witness interviews are totally blocked out. Do you think that they should be more transparent?”
Trump initially responded calmly. “Some think they released too much,” he said. “I heard that, and you’re telling me something else.”
He then attempted to shut down the issue altogether.
“I think it’s really time for the country to get onto something else,” Trump said.
“Now that nothing came out about me, other than it was a conspiracy against me, literally by Epstein and other people,” Trump falsely complained, “but I think it’s time now for the country to maybe get onto something else.
But Collins wasn’t letting it go, pressing back on Trump’s non-answer about the victims.
“But, what would you say to people who feel like they haven’t gotten justice, Mr. President?” Collins asked.
“What did you say?” Trump interjected talking over Collins before he lost it.
“You are the worst reporter. CNN has no ratings because of people like you. You know, she’s a young woman, 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,” an angry and frustrated Trump lashed out.
“Well, I’m asking you about survivors of Jeffrey Epstein, Mr. President?” a persistent Collins continued.
“You know why you’re not smiling? Because you know you’re not telling the truth,” a furious Trump accused her, completely ignoring the question about Epstein’s survivors.
“And you’re a very dishonest organization and they should be ashamed of you,” an irate Trump declared.
Social media users are tired of Trump’s divert and distract tactics for ignoring questions about Epstein.
“Gets asked a question about sexual assault; answers by harassing the reporter. He’s a POS,” one Threads user wrote.
“‘You should smile more’ He should be in prison,” another user added.
Others expressed confusion over why journalists covering Trump did not speak up in response to the remarks.
“I truly don’t get why the other reporters don’t stand up for women when he talks to them like this. He keeps doing this and the reporters just allow it. It’s nonsense,” poster Kieran Kelly said on Threads.
Another agreed, but with this caveat, “Everytime he is cornered he attacks. And that’s how you recognize a good journalist that actually does her job !”
Trump has also sought to reframe the controversy by casting it as a coordinated attack against him. In recent public statements, he has threatened legal action against author Michael Wolff, claiming without evidence that Wolff and Epstein worked together to sabotage him politically, a narrative he has promoted following the release of the files.
In reality, Trump is mentioned in the files that have been released so far, some 4,000 times, according to news outlets. He and Epstein, who died in jail in 2019, were best buddies until the early 2000s when Trump claimed Epstein was stealing his workers from Trump’s Mar-a-Lago estate Florida.
During his campaign, Trump promised to release the Epstein documents, amplifying conspiracy-driven claims that appealed to his political base. Once back in office, however, his administration reversed course. Senior officials, including Attorney General Pam Bondi, initially declined to release the files.
The Justice Department moved forward only after Congress passed legislation requiring the documents to be made public by Dec. 19. Even then, the release was partial, and significant portions of the Epstein records remain undisclosed.
With key records still unreleased, the Epstein files continue to raise unresolved questions that Trump has yet to answer.
