Kaitlan Collins Handled Trump’s Insults Calmly — Because As A Woman, She Has To

['Vivian Stein', 'Vivian Is A Third-Year Anthropology', 'Communication Student At Ucla Thousand Oaks', "California. When She'S Not Writing For Her Campus Or Ucla'S Student Newspaper", 'She Can Be Found Reading', 'Taking Long Walks', 'Or Hanging Out With Friends', 'Usually With An Iced Coffee In Hand.'] Her Campus 2026-07-28 18:03:02

CNN anchor and Chief White House Correspondent Kaitlan Collins became an example of that expectation at the 2026 White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner. During his remarks at the dinner, President Donald Trump dismissed the award as “fake” before criticizing Collins personally, saying she should smile more. Collins said she was not surprised by the remarks, explaining that being insulted by the president happens fairly regularly. We call women like Collins “unflappable” because we admire their ability to remain calm under huge amounts of pressure. Maybe it’s time we also ask why they’re expected to carry that pressure so quietly in the first place.