As we reported earlier, historically unpopular CNN anchor Jake Tapper came to the defense of CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins, whom President Donald Trump had called "a very average person" and "the most unhappy young person I've ever seen" in an interview published on Thursday by TIME. "She’s a great, aggressive reporter/anchor who asks him tough, substantive questions," Tapper posted.
Again, Collins is CNN's chief White House correspondent, so covering Trump is her job. A judge forced the White House to let CNN back in after a short ban, but on Thursday, Collins was doing her reporting on the president from her computer, where she had the TIME interview pulled up. It was fake news singularity.
TIME's interview was conducted by "TIME staff," so we don't know which of its reporters came up with this exchange:
Last week, you said you might annihilate Iran. That was the word you used.
Yeah, I would do that. It's possible.
You've made versions of that threat before. You've also called yourself the president of peace.
Yeah.
How can the president of peace be calling for the annihilation of an entire people?
Because by annihilating Iran, we've created peace in the world. With Iran, I don't think you could ever have peace.
Are you talking specifically about the government, the Islamic Republic regime? What about the innocent people?
They killed 75,000 people in the last number of months. Protesters, innocent [unintelligible], a lot of very good people. They killed 70, anywhere from 72 to 75,000. We all documented. They went on Brett Baier the other day and they lied about it. They said 3,000. Brett Baier said, “You got to be kidding me!” No, they killed 75,000 people. It's unbelievable. It's a bloodbath. So we'll see.
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So much for there being no such thing as a stupid question. The great, aggressive Collins decided that this was the takeaway from the exchange that her followers should see:
TIME: How can the president of peace be calling for the annihilation of an entire people?
— Kaitlan Collins (@kaitlancollins) October 1, 2026
Trump: "Because by annihilating Iran, we've created peace in the world. With Iran, I don't think you could ever have peace." https://t.co/yjwvio0WC2
He was quite obviously talking about the Islamic Republic's oppressive regime.
— Jim Hanson (@JimHansonDC) October 1, 2026
In his answer he laments the tens of thousands of innocent protesters that theocratic tyranny killed. But hey, you just want to demonize President Trump and get some clicks, right? https://t.co/uQIrHdBoFl
The framing is disingenuous at best.
— Samantha Nerove (@SamNerove) October 1, 2026
There is a term for this.
— The Warlords (@TheWarlordsShow) October 1, 2026
You know better. That’s not what he said.
— David Floyd (@kyfloyd) October 1, 2026
Has Trump called for annihilation of an entire people?
— Steve o/b/o Patrick (@rhainman) October 1, 2026
Collins from CNN and TIME Inc are the purveyors of THEIR OWN perpetually manipulated bullshit.
— Youyoyotoo💯🔙 (@youyoyotoo) October 1, 2026
Trump has never stated a plan or explicit intent to target and kill 90 million civilians in Iran.
EVER.
Getting increasingly desperate for clicks much?
— U.S. Citizen (@lucidhub) October 1, 2026
You’re now utterly irrelevant and your meltdowns are simply glorious to watch and mock. Please do continue….
— Katie Dunn (@KatieDunn483983) October 1, 2026
He isn't you twit. He's calling for the downfall of the Islamic Republic government, and freedom for the Iranian people.
— Foad of Foad Hall (@foadoffoadhall) October 1, 2026
You are incredibly dumb if that is the take you come away with, or you just think your small audience is that dumb
— MT71 (@gbmike) October 1, 2026
The smart, aggressive Collins takes the dumbest question asked by TIME and then reposts it as news while leaving out Trump's answer or any context. Gee, when Trump talks about going to war with Iran, you mean he's not talking about going to war with the individual citizens of Iran, but the regime? Thanks, TIME and CNN, for clearing that up.
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