Trump spars with Kaitlan Collins over Israel-Iran conflict
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Donald Trump took aim at CNN's Kaitlan Collins after being hit with a series of questions about the conflict erupting between Israel and Iran. The flurry of questions were floated aboard Air Force One Monday afternoon after Trump left the G7 summit early.
As he did, the president urged on social media, 'Everyone should immediately evacuate Tehran!' Collins's first question honed in on a separate Trump Truth Social post - one that saw Trump slam theories he'd left to secure a 'ceasefire'.
Collins pressed the president to 'elaborate' on what he was working on instead. At a point, the Trump cut a persistent Collins off to say, 'Who else has a question other than CNN fake news?', as the correspondent continued to pepper him with questions.
A hectic back-and-forth ensued, in full view of other journalists. 'We're not looking for a ceasefire,' Trump first told Collins. 'I didn't say it was going to be a ceasefire… I think we're looking for better than a ceasefire.'
'Do you plan to send the vice president and [Special Envoy, Steve Witkoff?' Collins, 35, asked, speaking over other journalists. An increasingly impatient Trump, 79, shot back: 'Not sure yet. I may. Depends on what happens when I get back.'
Collins then asked whether 'a US Bomb' could theoretically destroy Iran's nuclear program and facilities if the US did get involved in the escalating conflict. 'There's no guarantees on everything or anything in life, you know that,' Trump quipped, before seeking clarification. 'Right? There's no guarantee.
'But you're saying a guarantee - of what?' Collins, at this point, articulated. 'Do you think if the US got involved militarily it would actually wipe out Iran's nuclear program?' The president shot back: ' I hope their program's going to be wiped out long before then - but they're not going to have a nuclear weapon.'
Collins then attempted to ask a follow-up before being interrupted herself. 'Who else has a question other than CNN fake news?' Trump proclaimed. But Collins kept at with her line of questioning, asking more after the dust had settled.
'How close do you personally think that [Iran] were to getting [a nuclear weapon],' she asked a few minutes later, bringing up how National Intelligence boss Tulsi Gabbard in March said the country wasn't close to doing so. 'I don't care what she [Gabbard] said,' Trump responded. 'I think they were very close to having nuclear weapons.'
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