Wolf Blitzer refused to wrap up Monday’s edition of “The Situation Room” without paying tribute to his CNN colleague Kaitlan Collins, calling her a “true professional” just days after President Trump mocked her at this year’s White House Correspondents’ Association redo dinner.
Trump targeted Collins during his WHCD speech this past Friday, calling her a “young, attractive woman,” before questioning why she “never smiles.” The president went on to make a joke physically comparing Collins to trans singer and actress Dylan Mulvaney.
For his part, Blitzer indirectly acknowledged the president’s remarks Monday when he took a few minutes at the end of the day’s “Situation Room” installment to share the speech he gave at the WHCD this past weekend when he presented Collins with the Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure award. After the clip rolled, Blitzer and his CNN colleague Pamela Brown took a moment to further praise Collins together.
“Having worked very closely with Kaitlan over the years, both Pamela and I can attest to her excellent reporting and deep sourcing within the administration,” Blitzer said, adding, “She is a true professional, a class act, and we are so very proud of her.”
You can watch the full, touching moment yourself in the video below.
This @wolfblitzer tribute to @kaitlancollins will make you smile. pic.twitter.com/kXqR0hhYGf
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) July 27, 2026
Additionally, Blitzer went on to cheekily reference and undercut Trump’s remarks about Collins at this past weekend’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.
“Despite what President Trump keeps saying, she has a truly beautiful smile,” Blitzer said of Collins, to which Brown heartily agreed.
“Yes, two sources right here,” Brown said, echoing Blitzer. “I also worked with her at the White House during Trump’s first term, and she really is one of the best out there.” She and Blitzer subsequently plugged Collins’ CNN show, “The Source.”
Blitzer and Brown are, notably, not the only media figures who have called out Trump’s comments about Collins. During Monday’s edition of “Morning Joe,” MS NOW’s Joe Scarborough also took the president to task for his remarks.
“I guess when the war is endless and Americans can’t afford groceries, make this story about a reporter’s smile instead,” Scarborough said Monday. “I guess that’s easier than governing and actually admitting the cost of living in America is way too high. Something he still hasn’t done.”
