CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins credited White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt for stepping in to defend her access to a presidential event during a recent trip to Saudi Arabia with Donald Trump.
Speaking on comedian Heather McMahan’s “Absolutely Not” podcast, Collins recounted an incident that occurred while she was covering Trump’s visit to Riyadh. During a press availability, Collins said she shouted a question to the president — a common practice among White House reporters seeking comment during brief public appearances.
“I asked a shouted question to President Trump, who had seen me when the U.S. press came in,” Collins said. “He didn’t answer, which is, I mean, that’s how it works. You shout questions. They either answer or they don’t — it’s their prerogative.”
According to Collins, the situation escalated after the event concluded. She said members of the Saudi Royal Guard appeared unsettled by her decision to call out a question, noting that Saudi Arabia does not operate under the same press freedoms as the United States.
“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 said.
Dispute Over Press Access
Collins said Saudi authorities then attempted to block her from entering the next scheduled press event. She noticed officials conferring and pointing in her direction.
At that point, Collins said younger White House staffers were uncertain how to respond and sought guidance from Leavitt.
“To her credit, she said, ‘No, Kaitlan’s coming in with the rest of the U.S. press,’” Collins recalled. “So, to her credit, she, without a doubt, was like, ‘No, you’re coming in.’”
Collins described the moment as significant, particularly while traveling abroad as part of the U.S. press corps. “We don’t do things like they do in Saudi Arabia,” she said, emphasizing the importance of maintaining American press norms during foreign visits.
A History of Clashes
Collins has frequently sparred with Trump during press briefings and Oval Office exchanges. The president has publicly criticized her reporting style and demeanor, at one point calling her “stupid and nasty” and remarking that he had “never seen a smile” on her face.
Despite those confrontations, Collins has previously said Trump’s approach to the media differs from that of other presidents. On an earlier podcast appearance, she noted that Trump often engages directly with shouted questions — something she said former President Barack Obama rarely did during similar photo opportunities.
“Sometimes presidents are press-averse. Trump embraced the media,” Collins said, arguing that his willingness to respond — even combatively — altered the dynamic between the White House and reporters.
She also referenced a similar access dispute during Trump’s first term when covering his visit to the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
The episode in Riyadh highlights the delicate balance American officials must strike when operating in countries with stricter controls on press freedom, as well as the often adversarial — yet interdependent — relationship between the White House and the journalists who cover it.
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