Trump slammed Collins for "never" smiling days before the recent Air Force One exchange with another journalist
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NEED TO KNOW
- Donald Trump criticized a female reporter for her demeanor, days after doing the same to Kaitlan Collins
- “You have a very bad attitude,” the president told The Washington Post‘s Natalie Allison after cutting her off on Air Force One on Feb. 6
- Continuing his streak of criticizing the behavior and appearances of other female reporters, Trump previously slammed Collins for “never” smiling on Feb. 3
Donald Trump has criticized another female reporter’s demeanor, days after his headline-making exchange with Kaitlan Collins.
Speaking with reporters on Air Force One on Friday, Feb. 6, the president, 79, cut off Natalie Allison, a White House reporter for The Washington Post, mid-inquiry to insult her “attitude,” as well as the outlet’s readership.
“Mr. President, a number of people in the MAGA base say they aren't satisfied with the administration just focusing on deporting violent criminals that they —,” said Allison, as Trump interjected to ask, “Who are you with?”
After the reporter identified herself, Trump said, “Well, you're having a hard time getting readers. Washington Post is doing very poorly. Go ahead. You have a very bad attitude. Go ahead.”
Allison then circled back to the topic of immigration, asking the president about the individuals in his “base” who “say that they want to see all illegal immigrants deported."
However, the president cut her off once again.
Aaron Schwartz/Bloomberg via Getty
“Let me tell you about my base. Let me tell you about my base. My base has never been stronger,” Trump said, in part. “My base is me and other very good people, people that love our country. And if you talk about my base or the MAGA base — you could call it America first base — they couldn't be more thrilled.”
After continuing the tangent, and after Allison reiterated her initial inquiry, the president then responded, "We’re focusing on the criminals, we’re focusing on the killers — but ultimately they all broke the law.”
Allison did not immediately respond to PEOPLE's request for comment on Saturday, Feb. 7.
In the same press conference where Trump cut Allison off and criticized her demeanor, he said that he "didn't make a mistake" with the posting of a racist video depicting former President Barack Obama and his wife, Michelle Obama, as apes.
The “very bad attitude” remark also came just three days after Trump made headlines for commenting on the behavior of another female journalist — Collins, 33, whom he previously called “stupid, and nasty" in December.
In his latest exchange with the CNN White House Correspondent in the Oval Office on Tuesday, Feb. 3, Trump criticized Collins for "not smiling enough.”
Lloyd Bishop/NBC via Getty
Trump was showing off a new red-and-white baseball cap that read "America is back” when he made a pointed comment at Collins’ reaction, stating, "Look, CNN is thrilled.”
"She never smiles,” he continued of the journalist. “Someday I'll see her smile."
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Not long after, Collins asked the president a question about what he would say to the survivors of the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein as he spoke to another reporter.
“You are the worst reporter. No wonder CNN … CNN has no ratings because of people like you. You know she’s a young woman,” Trump then said, referring to Collins. “I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile. I’ve known you for 10 years, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a smile on your face.”
“Well, I’m asking you about survivors,” Collins began replying, before Trump interrupted to continue speaking about the journalist’s demeanor — and take another dig at CNN.
“You know why you’re not smiling? Because you know you’re not telling the truth. You’re a very dishonest organization, and they should be ashamed of you," Trump said.
Following the exchange, a CNN spokesperson told PEOPLE, “Kaitlan Collins is an exceptional journalist, reporting every day from the White House and the field with real depth and tenacity. She skillfully brings that reporting to the anchor chair and CNN platforms every day, which audiences around the world know they can trust.”
Collins and Allison are not the only female reporters Trump has insulted.
In November, the president called CBS News' Nancy Cordes “a stupid person.” He has also called The New York Times' Katie Rogers "ugly, both inside and out" and famously told Bloomberg's Catherine Lucey to be "quiet, piggy."
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