Friday, December 12, 2025

WH Press Sec Calls Out CNN's Kaitlan Collins

WH Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt

In a fiery exchange during Thursday's White House press briefing on December 11, 2025, Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt accused CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins and the media of failing to aggressively question the Biden administration on high inflation and border security, while now intensely scrutinizing the Trump administration's economic progress.

Leavitt directly called out Collins, stating: “NOBODY reported [inflation] being high under Biden... My predecessor stood up at this podium and said inflation doesn’t exist! She said the border was secure! People like you (CNN) took her at her word. Those were two utter lies. Everything I'M telling you is the truth, backed by real factual data, and YOU just don't wanna report on it, cause you wanna push UNTRUE narratives about the President.”

The clash erupted when Collins pressed Leavitt on President Trump's mixed messaging about the economy—highlighting his claims of a booming recovery alongside advice to parents to buy fewer Christmas gifts amid affordability concerns. Collins noted rising grocery prices and "mixed signals," arguing no one disputed inflation was higher under Biden.

Leavitt countered by emphasizing positive metrics under Trump: inflation has dropped slightly from 2.9% inherited in January 2025 to around 2.5%, wages are rising (with average workers projected to gain $1,200), and gas prices are falling. She accused the press corps of applying far more scrutiny now than during Biden's term, when inflation peaked at 9% and real wages declined.

Leavitt referenced former Biden Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre's past denials of inflation's severity and claims of a secure border, implying media outlets like CNN accepted those statements without sufficient challenge. The exchange grew heated, with both women interrupting each other, before Leavitt declined Collins' follow-up question.

Later in the briefing, Leavitt suggested CNN would benefit from new ownership amid declining ratings, echoing President Trump's criticisms. The White House Rapid Response account amplified the confrontation on social media, labeling Collins "Fake News" and a "mouthpiece for the Democrat Party."

Conservative outlets praised Leavitt for "walloping" Collins and exposing media bias, while left-leaning sources described her as snapping or losing composure when pressed on voter concerns over lingering affordability issues. The incident underscores ongoing tensions between the Trump administration and mainstream media over economic narratives, with inflation remaining a key voter issue despite recent modest declines.
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