CNN’s Kaitlan Collins revealed a tense confrontation with Saudi Arabian authorities during President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the kingdom, where White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt intervened to protect the journalist’s access.
Speaking on Heather McMahan’s “Absolutely Not” podcast Wednesday, Collins recounted the incident that occurred while she was covering Trump’s trip to Saudi Arabia.
The situation unfolded after Collins shouted a question to President Trump during a press availability with American and Saudi officials present.
Collins explained that she directed a question at Trump after the U.S. press pool entered the room. The president, who saw her among the gathered reporters, chose not to respond to her inquiry.
“He didn’t answer, which is, I mean, that’s how it works,” Collins said. “You shout questions. They either answer or they don’t — it’s their prerogative.”
After Trump and other world leaders departed the room, members of the Saudi Royal Guard reacted negatively to Collins’s question.
The journalist noted that Saudi Arabia does not have a free press, making such interactions with leaders uncommon in the kingdom.
“The Saudi Royal Guard kind of freaked out because I dared to ask a question, and they’re not used to that there because they don’t have a free press,” Collins stated.
The situation escalated when Saudi authorities attempted to prevent Collins from attending the next scheduled press event.
When Collins objected to being excluded, officials informed her she would not be permitted to enter.
Collins observed Saudi personnel discussing her presence among themselves. She noticed younger White House staff members appeared uncertain about how to handle the developing situation, prompting them to consult with Leavitt.
The press secretary took immediate action to resolve the matter in Collins’s favor. Leavitt told Saudi authorities that Collins would be accompanying the rest of the American press corps into the event.
“To her credit, she said, ‘No, Kaitlan’s coming in with the rest of the US press,’ and we went in,” Collins recounted. “And, so, it didn’t become this huge issue.”
Collins emphasized Leavitt’s decisive response to the situation. “So, to her credit, she, without a doubt, was like, ‘No, you’re coming in,’” the CNN host said.
The reporter noted the significance of the press secretary’s stance, particularly given the overseas setting. “Which I do think is important in that moment, especially when you’re kind of the US contingent abroad, and we don’t do things like they do in Saudi Arabia,” Collins added.
Collins mentioned that a similar incident occurred during Trump’s first term when he visited the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
The CNN correspondent has had numerous contentious exchanges with Trump throughout her coverage of his administrations.
As the New York Post previously reported, Trump has called Collins “stupid and nasty” and recently criticized her during an Oval Office exchange for her demeanor. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face,” Trump told her earlier this month.
The president frequently criticizes news organizations and journalists, and has made multiple threats of legal action against media outlets.
Despite their rocky relationship, Collins offered a different perspective on Trump’s media interactions during an October podcast appearance, the Post outlined. She stated that Trump has “embraced” the media in ways that differ from his predecessors.
Collins, who has covered two presidents as a White House correspondent, said veteran journalists have observed how Trump changed typical media dynamics. She contrasted Trump’s approach with that of President Obama.
“When you speak to reporters who covered President Obama, he almost never responded to shouted questions,” Collins said. “It wasn’t his thing. He would have his moments with world leaders, and then you would leave the Oval.”
Collins noted Trump’s departure from previous presidential norms regarding press engagement.
“Trump kind of upended that when he came into the White House,” she explained. “Sometimes presidents are press averse. Trump embraced the media.”
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