Trump Clashes with CNN's Collins Over Epstein Files

President Donald Trump engaged in a heated exchange with CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins during an Oval Office event on Tuesday, where he signed a bill to reopen the federal government following a partial shutdown and met with Republican lawmakers. The confrontation arose as Collins questioned Trump about the recent release of documents related to Jeffrey Epstein, the late financier accused of sex trafficking, prompting Trump to deflect the inquiry and launch personal criticisms at the reporter.

The event began routinely, with Trump addressing the government funding measure. As reporters raised questions about the Epstein files, which include around 3 million pages from the Justice Department's investigation and have drawn complaints from survivors over extensive redactions, Trump initially responded calmly to two of Collins's queries. He acknowledged mentions of Elon Musk, a donor to his reelection campaign, and Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick in the documents but stated he had not reviewed them thoroughly, citing his busy schedule. "I'm sure they're fine," Trump said. "Otherwise, there would have been major headlines."

When another reporter mentioned...