Donald Trump Jr. had a heated confrontation with CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins following the vice-presidential debate in New York City, as she attempted to challenge him on his father’s tone and media interactions.
The encounter, which occurred in the spin room after the debate, quickly escalated as Trump Jr. pushed back against what he described as media bias and unfair treatment of his father, former President Donald Trump.
The exchange began when Collins approached Trump Jr. with a question about his thoughts on the debate between Republican Senator J.D. Vance and Democratic Minnesota Governor Tim Walz.
Trump Jr. expressed confidence in Vance’s performance, stating that he dominated the debate on every issue, including topics that are often difficult for Republicans, such as abortion and childcare. He commended Vance for handling the debate with skill, particularly against what he called a hostile moderation panel.
However, the conversation quickly shifted when Collins posed a pointed question, asking whether Vance was more comfortable addressing these contentious issues than Donald Trump.
Trump Jr. defended his father, arguing that the 45th president had faced far more difficult circumstances during his 2020 debate with Vice President Kamala Harris.
He described the debate as a “3-on-1” scenario, with the moderators and Harris working together against his father. Trump Jr. called the situation “absolutely disgusting” and praised Vance for avoiding a similar dynamic in the recent vice-presidential debate.
Things took a more contentious turn when Collins shifted her focus to the tone of the debate. She complimented the civility of the exchange between Vance and Walz and questioned why Donald Trump couldn’t adopt the same approach. This remark seemed to hit a nerve, prompting Trump Jr. to deliver a fiery response.
“The media has radicalized the people that are trying to kill my father,” Trump Jr. asserted. He went on to describe the threats his family had faced, noting that there had been two assassination attempts on his father’s life in recent months.
He revealed that he had to explain these threats to his five children, a conversation that had occurred twice in the last two months.
Trump Jr. blamed the media for creating the toxic environment that led to these threats, specifically pointing to the way they portrayed his father during his presidency.
“That didn’t just magically happen,” Trump Jr. continued. “That’s not him; that’s a media-created thing.” He referenced the widely debunked Russia investigation and claimed that the media had continued to push false narratives, even after they were disproven.
According to Trump Jr., this relentless negative coverage had created a dangerous atmosphere for his father and his supporters.
In response, Collins pushed back, attempting to distance the media from responsibility for the threats against the former president. “You can’t blame the media,” she said. “There’s no evidence that’s what drove those assassination attempts.”
This remark only fueled Trump Jr.’s anger, and he quickly cut her off, accusing the media of allowing and even amplifying rhetoric that compared his father to Adolf Hitler. “When someone allows people to have a platform to call someone literally Hitler every day for nine years, it creates it,” Trump Jr. said passionately. “Whether you want to believe it or not, that’s a fact!”
WATCH:
Our interview with Donald Trump Jr. following the debate, and whether he thinks his father should face Harris again: pic.twitter.com/iURMSgAPpI
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 2, 2024
The heated exchange underscored the ongoing tensions between the Trump family and the mainstream media. The former president and his supporters have long accused outlets like CNN of bias and unfair coverage, particularly during Trump’s time in office.
The Russia investigation, in particular, has been a focal point of their grievances, with Trump repeatedly labeling it a “witch hunt” and accusing the media of fueling unfounded allegations.
Collins, for her part, has become a prominent figure in political journalism, known for her tough questioning of public figures, including the Trump family.
Her attempt to challenge Trump Jr. on his father’s approach to the debate stage was in line with her reputation for asking difficult questions, but it clearly struck a nerve with the former president’s eldest son.
Trump Jr.’s criticism of the media and its role in shaping public perception of his father has been a consistent theme in his public appearances.
He has frequently accused the press of misrepresenting his family’s actions and promoting narratives that he believes are harmful and divisive.
The comparison of Donald Trump to Hitler is one example that has particularly outraged Trump Jr., as he believes it has contributed to the threats and violence his family has faced.
Despite the fiery back-and-forth, Trump Jr. remained steadfast in his defense of his father’s legacy and approach to politics. He argued that the media’s portrayal of Donald Trump had been unfair and that it had created a hostile environment for him and his supporters.
While Collins attempted to steer the conversation toward a more civil tone, Trump Jr. was determined to highlight what he saw as the media’s role in creating division.
In the end, the confrontation between Trump Jr. and Collins served as a reminder of the deep divide between the Trump family and the mainstream media, a divide that has only grown wider in the years since Donald Trump left the White House.
As the 2024 election season continues, it is likely that these tensions will only intensify, with figures like Trump Jr. continuing to defend his family against what they view as a biased and hostile press.