After White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany held her first briefing in weeks, she refused to take a question from CNN’s Kaitlan Collins and called her an “activist,” to which Collins responded by telling McEnany she had failed to do her “taxpayer-funded job.”
“Thank you everyone for the very good and substantive questions today,” McEnany said, before she appeared to look at Collins and say: “I don’t call on activists.”
“I’m not an activist and you haven’t taken questions since Oct. 1 and you just took about five, Kayleigh” Collins replied as McEnany began to walk out of the briefing room. “That’s not doing your job. Your taypayer-funded job.”
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Watch this exchange between Press Sec. McEnany and CNN's Kaitlan Collins: pic.twitter.com/QkgE6d1Rzl
— The Recount (@therecount) November 20, 2020
Collins later responded to McEnany’s jab on Twitter, writing: “It’s understandable why someone who hasn’t done their job — taking questions from reporters — in weeks would confuse someone else doing theirs with activism.”
It’s understandable why someone who hasn’t done their job — taking questions from reporters — in weeks would confuse someone else doing theirs with activism.
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) November 20, 2020
A number of Collins’s CNN colleagues came to her defense after the exchange.
“I just want to say you got attacked from the podium today unfairly and unprofessionally and I just want to note you’re one of the best White House correspondents ever in the history of this country,” Jake Tapper told Collins after she appeared on his show to provide an update on President Trump’s White House meeting with Michigan state lawmakers. “You do a fantastic job and we’re very lucky to have you and we are all 100% behind you.”
He also took the sentiment to Twitter, noting Collins “will still be in that room after January 20, 2021.”
.@kaitlancollins is an activist for the truth and for facts. And she will still be in that room after January 20, 2021. https://t.co/HD3A0OKqlf
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) November 20, 2020
Fellow CNNer Chris Cillizza said Collins was as fair as they come.
What a joke.
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) November 20, 2020
Kaitlan is as fair -- and tough -- as they come. https://t.co/w7teBYXqF4
Let’s be clear about one thing. Kaitlan-freaking-Collins is a national treasure. She does not have time for anyone’s BS. https://t.co/UOrX4Nx5DO
— Amanda Carpenter (@amandacarpenter) November 20, 2020
Amanda Kaufman can be reached at amanda.kaufman@globe.com. Follow her @amandakauf1.