How many times are we going to hear Democrats hysterically label President Donald Trump a “fascist” before someone asks them to define the word? They toss it around like a cheap campaign slogan, hoping repetition will make it true. It won’t. At this point, it’s less a serious accusation and more a tired political crutch for a party that’s run out of real arguments.
We also hear that he aims to limit media engagement, despite frequently interacting with them, unlike his predecessor, Joe Biden. It was Biden’s administration that attempted to restrict media interactions, likely out of concern over being unable to manage what might come to light regarding his issues.
In contrast, Trump shows no apprehension and often faces the media during briefings. In fact, one reporter Trump has had some confrontations with is Kaitlan Collins from CNN. Not only is she associated with CNN, a network Trump has a low opinion of, but he also believes she has been biased against him previously.
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Collins recounted an experience on a recent podcast regarding how the Trump administration supported her and the idea of press freedom, which carries additional significance. On Wednesday, Collins was a guest on the “Absolutely Not” podcast hosted by Heather McMahan.
Collins explained how they were in Saudi Arabia with the White House pool of reporters following Trump, “They famously do not like the media there, to put it lightly.” She explained that she attempted to ask a question, which caused the Saudi royal guard to lose their minds, again, “because they don’t have press freedom there.” They then told her she wouldn’t be able to come to the next event.
“The Saudi Royal Guard freaked out because I dared to ask a question … and said, you can’t come into the next event … Karoline, to her credit said, no Kaitlan’s coming in with the rest of the U.S. press,” she said.
CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Says Karoline Leavitt Defended Her Free Press Rights
“The Saudi Royal Guard freaked out because I dared to ask a question … and said, you can't come into the next event … Karoline, to her credit said, no Kaitlan's coming in with the rest of the U.S.… pic.twitter.com/uhB9al4GVX
— Chief Nerd (@TheChiefNerd) February 12, 2026
Collins mentioned that some members of the press were uncertain about how to handle the situation, so they turned to White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt for guidance.
Leavitt intervened on Collins’ behalf, affirming that Collins should be allowed to join the rest of the press pool without any interruptions.
Collins expressed that this intervention was significant at that moment, emphasizing the importance of conveying a message about press freedom while abroad:
“And to her credit, she said, no, Kaitlin is coming in with the rest of the U.S. press. And we went in. And so it didn’t become this huge issue,” Collins said. “And so to her credit, she, without a doubt, was like, no, you’re coming in. Which I do think is important in that moment, especially when you’re the U.S. contingent abroad, and we don’t do things like they do in Saudi Arabia.”
Although the Trump team may perceive Collins as partisan and regard CNN as “fake news,” they will still defend her right to be present alongside other reporters in a foreign country if that right comes under threat.
Good for Leavitt.
It really undermines the whole Democrat narrative of labeling the Trump administration as “fascist” when they actually defend the press. This situation may have also prompted Collins to gain a deeper appreciation for the press freedoms she enjoys here. When Trump or Leavitt criticize her for not being fair, it’s not an “attack on a free press”; rather, it’s a call for the media to take more responsibility. No one is stopping the press from publishing the outlandish or incorrect things they’ve put out there.
That said, the administration certainly has the right to comment on these issues and express their views on what’s inaccurate or misleading.
