&imwidth=800&imheight=600&format=webp&quality=medium "'I've known you for 10 years but...': Trump scolds female journalist for not smiling as she asks about Epstein survivors | WATCH")
US President Donald Trump once again slammed a female reporter during Oval Office press briefing and question and answer session, stating that she is the worst reporter and he has never seen her smiling. Frustrated by her persistence in asking questions about convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, Trump claimed that her channel does not have any ratings due to “people like her” and that the channel should be ashamed of themselves for keeping the woman as their reporter. In the same press conference, Trump later asked media and Americans to move on from the Epstein case.
Also Read: 'Obnoxious': Trump insults another female journalist. What triggered him this time? Watch video
Here's what happened?
Trump scolded the CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins for supposedly not smiling enough in his presence. He highlighted that he has known her for about 10 years and claimed that she does not smile because she knows that she is “not talented.” The exchange began with Collins pointed out that the Epstein Files reveal close ties of US president's allies, Elon Musk and Howard Lutnick, his commerce secretary with the late sex offender. Collins interrupted the US president when he went on a monologue blaiming Democrats for creating a narrative around Epstein documents while being in contact with Epstein themselves.
While Trump said that had not read friendly emails of Musk and Lutnick with Epstein, he also unabashedly said that he was also friends with Epstein for 17 years. “I’m sure they’re fine,” Trump said, “otherwise there would’ve been major headlines.” When Collins noted that “a lot of women who are survivors of Epstein are unhappy with” the way the justice department redacted the documents, including, “entire witness interviews are totally blacked out”, Trump slammed her saying: “You are so bad. You are the WORST reporter. No wonder CNN has no ratings! You know she's a young woman. I’ve known you for ten years. I don't think I've EVER seen you smile. They should be ASHAMED of you.”
Trump defends himself on Epstein Files links
Trump made a fresh plea Tuesday for Americans to move on from the Jeffrey Epstein scandal. On Feb 2, Trump once again denied allegations linking him to Epstein, stating that he never visited Epstein’s ‘infested’ private island. He accused Democrats and their donors of creating fake stories about his links with Epstein while having relations with the convicted sex offender. He also slammed author Michael Wolff for spreading lies about his links with Epstein and claimed that Wolff did it to harm his reputation and his presidency. In a post on Truth Social, Trump claimed newly released information from the Department of Justice quashes the “trash talks” by the people regarding his links with Epstein Files.
