President Donald Trump took aim at CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins during his remarks at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner on Friday, delivering a series of jokes that included comparing the journalist to transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney.
Speaking before attendees at the Waldorf Astoria in Washington, Trump referenced Collins while discussing Bud Light’s 2023 marketing campaign featuring Mulvaney.
“I thought Kaitlan had really made it big with a major new sponsorship,” Trump said. “But then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney.”
Trump also criticized Bud Light’s partnership with Mulvaney, claiming the campaign contributed to a significant decline in the company’s market value following a consumer boycott that emerged after the promotion.
“Dylan Mulvaney cost Bud Light $35 billion in market cap,” Trump said. “That was the worst commercial ever made.”
The president continued his remarks by joking about Collins’ journalism award presented by the White House Correspondents’ Association.
“I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award,” Trump said. “It was all about me. It was a fake, she shouldn’t get the award, it was a fake. But I didn’t mind.”
Trump also repeated a criticism he has made previously about Collins’ demeanor during press briefings.
“She’s a young, attractive woman, but she never smiles,” Trump said. “I said, ‘Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile! You have a nice position, you’re at CNN fake news. You should be a happy person.’”
CNN defended Collins following the president’s remarks.
“Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional, trusted journalist being honored tonight for her depth of knowledge and the context she provides to audiences all over the world,” a CNN spokesperson told the Daily Mail.
“She reports every day from the White House and the field with real strength and tenacity and skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day. We stand by her to the fullest extent,” the spokesperson added.
Trump’s speech included jokes directed at several political figures, media personalities and celebrities. According to the Daily Mail, the president also referenced California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D), Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker (D), musician Bruce Springsteen and comedian Rosie O’Donnell during his remarks.
White House officials had previewed the speech earlier Friday, describing it as one that would be, in part, “vicious.”
This year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner was held at the Waldorf Astoria under heightened security after the original April event was canceled following a shooting outside the Washington Hilton, where the annual dinner has traditionally been held, per the Daily Mail.
The relocated event featured airport-style security measures and accommodated roughly 700 attendees.
Trump’s appearance marked his first address at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner during his second term, with his remarks combining jokes about the media, political opponents and public figures while highlighting his ongoing disputes with several news organizations, including CNN.
