Trump meets the CNN welcome committee
President Donald Trump arrived at the United Nations in New York City ahead of his address to the General Assembly. The exchange came as some news agencies were still complaining about being banned from White House property. After entering the U.N., Trump approached the media cameras and saw CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins among the reporters waiting for him. He did not wait for a panel show to explain the moment. “So it’s an honor to be here,” he began, then turned directly to Collins and CNN. “I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me. You shouldn’t be here. You should not be here covering me. You said you weren’t going to cover me. You shouldn’t be covering me.” It was a blunt greeting by the polished standards of official arrivals, where every sentence is usually sanded down until it has no edge left. Trump then returned to the event itself, saying it was an honor to be at the United Nations, that the country was making “a lot of progress,” and that the country was doing “really, really well.”
🔥 LMAO! President Trump arrived at the United Nations and IMMEDIATELY started clowning on CNN and Kaitlan Collins
"I'm surprised that CNN is here covering me! You shouldn't be here. You should not be here covering me! You said you weren't going to cover me! You shouldn't be… pic.twitter.com/aZCtzJHyuD
— Nick Sortor (@nicksortor) September 22, 2026
The president’s message for Putin was even shorter
The CNN confrontation was not the only exchange during Trump’s arrival. When asked what message he had for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump leaned into a microphone and gave a three-word answer: “Settle the war.” That response stood in sharp contrast to the long statements and carefully padded language that usually surround international diplomacy. Trump did not offer a lengthy explanation in the moment, and the source provides no additional detail about the policy behind the remark. The answer was still clear enough to avoid the usual maze of official phrasing. Whatever one thinks of the broader dispute, “settle the war” is not a message that needs a committee meeting to decode.
Online reaction focused on the timing
Journalist Eric Daugherty highlighted the timing of the exchange, writing that Collins was “basically the FIRST reporter he saw” and that Trump “immediately called her out.” He also called Trump “an absolute legend.” Journalist Benny Johnson added, “They can’t help themselves.” Those reactions centered on a simple point: Collins was among the first reporters Trump encountered, and he used the opportunity to challenge CNN’s presence in front of the cameras. The clip gives viewers a direct record of the exchange instead of requiring them to rely on a series of studio arguments about what happened. In an era when media outlets can turn access, coverage, and public criticism into a full-day programming block, the scene was remarkably straightforward. CNN was there to cover Trump, Trump questioned why CNN was there, and the cameras captured the disagreement without much need for translation.
🤣 LMFAO! CNN's Kaitlan Collins was just spotted still covering President Trump at the UN after 47 walked up to her and said, "You shouldn't be here! You said you weren't gonna cover me!"
POTUS is an absolute legend 🔥
She was basically the FIRST reporter he saw and he… https://t.co/R3jkKO212B pic.twitter.com/yQKdVj3cyu
— Eric Daugherty (@EricLDaugh) September 22, 2026
Trump Just ROASTED CNN To Their Faces At The United Nations: “It’s an honor to be here. I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me. You should not be here covering me. You said you weren't going to cover me.”
They can’t help themselves 🤣 pic.twitter.com/AKQPbNXSZq
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) September 22, 2026
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