Donald Trump lashed out at CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins on Tuesday as he arrived in New York with Melania Trump for the United Nations General Assembly.
The president confronted Collins after his administration barred CNN from covering the White House on Friday, telling her: “You shouldn’t be here.”
“It’s an honor to be here. I’m surprised that CNN is here covering me,” Trump said as Collins asked about the war with Iran. “You said you weren’t going to cover me. You shouldn’t be covering me.”
Trump then said the United States was “making a lot of progress” and that the country was doing “really, really well” before leaving with Melania.
When another reporter asked what message he had for Russian President Vladimir Putin, Trump turned back and replied emphatically: “Settle the war.”
The heated confrontation followed the administration’s decision to block CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House over coverage it characterized as “fake news.”
The dispute intensified Monday when the outlets sued the administration, arguing that it had violated their First Amendment rights. The television pool—comprising ABC, CBS, Fox, CNN and NBC—also said it would boycott White House events in solidarity.
Trump’s UN Agenda
Trump is set to address the General Assembly Tuesday morning before beginning a packed schedule of diplomatic meetings. His agenda includes talks with UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, as well as a meeting with Gulf leaders focused on containing the Iran conflict and protecting energy supplies.
He is also expected to sign an agreement with Denmark and Greenland that would expand the US military presence on the Arctic island. Later in the evening, Trump is scheduled to hold a private pull-aside meeting with Venezuela’s acting president.
The president’s appearance at the annual gathering of world leaders comes as the wars in Iran and Ukraine fuel a severe energy crunch in the United States. Retail diesel prices have climbed above $6.50 a gallon, a record high.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Tuesday that Trump remains open to meeting Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian while both men are in New York.
“This is a president who will meet with anybody for the most part, because he believes engaging with people is important if you’re going to solve problems,” Rubio said on NBC’s Today show.
“It doesn’t mean you’re going to end up agreeing with them, but it’s important.”
According to a White House official, Trump will use his speech to argue that his administration is deploying American power to confront longstanding challenges and reshape the world in the country’s interests.
“We expect the president will highlight how he and his administration have confronted complex problems head-on around the world,” Mike Waltz, Trump’s ambassador to the UN, told reporters.
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Trump Returns Amid Iran War
Waltz indicated that Trump could renew his criticism of the United Nations, which the president has called ineffective on matters of war and peace. Trump has also accused the organization of promoting a “con job” on climate change and encouraging the “invasion” of migrants into Europe.
The administration has already reduced US funding for the organization, raising fresh questions about its future.
At last year’s General Assembly, Trump said the United States had “demolished” Iran’s nuclear capabilities after ordering strikes on three key sites in June 2025. He also said, “Everyone says that I should get the Nobel Peace Prize.”
Trump now returns nearly seven months into a war with Iran that is weighing on Republican hopes of retaining control of both chambers of Congress in the November 3 midterm elections.
US and Israeli strikes have killed much of Iran’s senior leadership and destroyed large parts of its air force and navy. An American blockade of Iranian oil has further devastated the country’s economy.
Saudi Arabia closed a key pipeline earlier this month after it came under attack from Iran-backed militants in Iraq. Houthi rebels have also made the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the Red Sea increasingly dangerous for oil tankers.
Qatar and other mediators are working to bridge what Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari called a “deep deficit of trust” between Washington and Tehran and bring the two sides back to negotiations.
“Either we sign a deal now or sign a deal 10 months away,” al-Ansari said Monday at the Concordia Annual Summit. “The only difference is the number of dead and the destruction that we see.”
The Greenland agreement, announced last week, comes after Trump repeatedly threatened to “take over” the island, including by military force if necessary. Greenland will remain Danish territory under the deal.
Russia-Ukraine War and Xi Visit
Trump said last week that he had persuaded Russia and Ukraine to stop attacking each other’s energy infrastructure, part of a conflict he pledged during the 2024 campaign to end on his first day in office.
Zelensky said Ukraine would join the arrangement if Russia did the same. Moscow, however, said it would comply only if Western energy sanctions were lifted first.
Both sides have continued striking refineries. The escalation included the largest drone attack on Moscow over the weekend, involving roughly 450 aircraft.
Trump is due to return to Washington on Wednesday to welcome Chinese President Xi Jinping at Joint Base Andrews. The television pool boycott could leave the lavish state visit without coverage from the major networks.
Melania Trump’s office has taken a different approach, allowing CNN to cover her announcement at the St. Regis hotel in Manhattan on Tuesday, according to a source familiar with the matter who spoke to Our News Outlet.
