US President Donald Trump has launched a fresh attack on CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins after confronting her at the United Nations, calling her a "Third Rate Reporter" and accusing the network of being obsessed with him as a widening dispute between the White House and several US news organisations plays out in court.
Trump's remarks on Truth Social came after he questioned why Collins was covering his visit to the UN General Assembly despite CNN being among three news organisations recently barred from White House grounds.
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"All of the SLEAZEBAGS, like Third Rate “Reporter,” Kaitlan Collins, of Fake News CNN, a truly unhappy person, said they weren’t going to be covering me. Then why were they ranting and raving like Lunatics, in the Press Area, at the United Nations? Why was she there? She’s got a “TRUMP” addiction, and so does CNN and MSDNC. They’re all sick, treasonous, and demented! The “good news” is that they have a great, for them, and totally disloyal Judge. MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN! President DONALD J. TRUMP"
The post followed an encounter between Trump and Collins as the president arrived at the UN headquarters on Tuesday ahead of his address to the General Assembly.
"It's an honor to be here," Trump said before addressing Collins directly.
"I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me. You should not be here covering me. You said you weren’t going to cover me."
CNN, however, had not announced that it would stop covering Trump. The network was barred by the administration from White House grounds along with MS NOW and Politico, but the restriction does not extend to the United Nations, where media organisations receive separate credentials.
Collins later responded on air to Trump's claim.
“We never said we were not going to cover the president. We will do our best to cover him each and every day.”
White House media fight reaches court
The exchange at the UN comes as the confrontation between the Trump administration and the three news organisations moves into federal court.
CNN, MS NOW and Politico filed a joint lawsuit on Monday challenging their exclusion from White House grounds. The organisations argue that the administration selectively targeted them because of their coverage and have asked a federal judge to find the restrictions unconstitutional.
The administration responded on Tuesday, urging the court to reject their request and defending the president's authority to determine which journalists receive access to restricted areas of the White House.
"Access to the White House is a privilege — not a right," the administration said in its filing.
“Significantly, Presidents have long decided which journalists should receive privileged access, which has varied substantially by administration,” it added.
A hearing in the case is scheduled for Wednesday afternoon.
The case is before US District Judge Timothy Kelly, a Trump appointee who in 2018 ordered the restoration of CNN journalist Jim Acosta's White House access during another dispute between the network and the administration.
Asked Tuesday whether he would restore access to the three organisations if the court ruled against the White House, Trump criticised Kelly.
“Well, it probably will, because this is a judge who’s not a particularly fair judge.”
“So you never know,” Trump added. "I think we have a right to clean out fake news."
Trump has defended the ban by pointing to what he has described as "purposely negative stories", continuing a long-running confrontation with news organisations whose coverage he considers unfair or inaccurate.
With inputs from agencies
