Chicago – May22, 2025
During a CNN town hall on May 10, 2023, former President Donald Trump and CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins engaged in a contentious exchange that drew widespread criticism. The event, moderated by Collins and featuring questions from Republican voters in New Hampshire, saw Trump making several false claims, particularly about the 2020 election and the January 6 Capitol attack.
At one point, when Collins pressed Trump about his handling of classified documents, he interrupted her, saying, “Can I talk? Are you ready? Can I talk? Do you mind?” When Collins insisted on an answer, Trump retorted, “You’re a nasty person,” a comment that was met with applause from the audience.
The town hall sparked internal dissent within CNN, with some staff members criticizing the network’s decision to host the event. Critics argued that the platform allowed Trump to spread misinformation without sufficient real-time fact-checking.
Despite the controversy, Collins continued her role at CNN, later being named the network’s 9 p.m. ET host and returning as chief White House correspondent during Trump’s second presidency.
