CNN’s Kaitlan Collins reportedly expressed her gratitude to former boss Tucker Carlson for shaping her career path as a White House correspondent.
In a recent profile with Vanity Fair, Collins reflected on her roles as the anchor of “The Source” and CNN’s chief White House correspondent, crediting her time at The Daily Caller with laying the groundwork for her current position.
Collins worked at The Daily Caller from 2014 to 2017, during which time she focused on the burgeoning Trump phenomenon. She stated, “If I hadn’t worked at the Daily Caller, I don’t know if I’d be covering Trump,” highlighting Carlson’s encouragement for her to engage with the 2016 presidential election reporting.
She benefited from working alongside individuals who became staunch Trump supporters, including Carlson himself, describing her experiences as “helpful” in understanding Trump’s political rise.
Despite her non-ideological stance, Collins observed shifts among colleagues who initially hesitated to support Trump but changed their views as he became the Republican nominee.
She also touched on the current tensions between the administration and media outlets. Notably, Collins recalled how the Associated Press was banned from White House events during Trump’s term for refusing to adhere to his preferred terminology for the Gulf of Mexico.
She likened this to her own ban from a Rose Garden event in 2018, an incident that received support from the White House Correspondents Association and colleagues like Bret Baier from Fox News.
Collins warned that banning media personnel is a dangerous practice, stating, “That’s where it’s dangerous territory,” emphasizing the critical importance of media access in a democratic society.
[READ MORE: Alina Habba Announces Major New Investigation Into Democrat Governor]
