JD Vance is facing widespread backlash following comments he made about CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins during a podcast appearance. The Ohio senator weighed in on Collins’ tense exchange with Donald Trump over the Epstein documents, sparking criticism after suggesting that she should have smiled during the interaction.
JD Vance criticized for his comments on Kaitlan Collins
JD Vance faced criticism for telling CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins to smile during a discussion about her exchange with Donald Trump. Vance made the remarks during a podcast with Megyn Kelly, saying, “Just have some fun. You can’t always take yourself too seriously… You’re gonna have a heart attack.” The comment followed Trump’s February 3 outburst at Collins after she asked about the newly released Epstein files, where he said, “You are the worst reporter” and claimed he had never seen her smile.
Vance defended Trump’s reaction and accused the media of political bias. “Of course, they don’t act like that when the other guys are in power. So there is a political bias angle to it,” he said. He also stated, “The media is one of the low, least trusted institutions in the United States of America… When you come across as angry all the time, it’s just fake.” Kelly supported the sentiment, recalling, “She never smiles. Every once in a while, you have to smile… just to show the viewers that you have a heart.”
Online reaction was swift, with users denouncing Vance’s remarks. One post read, “A tone-deaf J.D. Vance says that Kaitlan Collins should have smiled when asking Trump about survivors of rape and s– trafficking.” Other comments included, “Does Vance know how much he’s hated?” and “This idiot is worse than Trump.”
The incident traces back to a press exchange where Collins questioned Trump about the heavily redacted Epstein documents. Trump replied, “She’s a young woman — I don’t think I’ve ever seen you smile… You know why you’re not smiling? Because you know you’re not telling the truth.” Collins attempted to redirect focus to the survivor’s concerns, but was cut off as Trump moved on.
