CNN Host Claims Trump Sleeps Late, Posts Rage, and Still Chases Headlines

President Donald Trump may dominate headlines, but according to CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins, he’s not exactly setting his alarm for it.

“He doesn’t really do much in the morning,” Collins revealed during a wide-ranging interview on The New Yorker’s podcast Friday. “You might catch a post or two on Truth Social, but otherwise, it’s pretty quiet until midday.”

Collins, who has covered Trump since his first term, painted a revealing portrait of a president who spends more time reacting online than engaging in traditional presidential duties. “You wake up and see he’s posted something like voiding all of Biden’s pardons,” she said. “But in terms of meetings or briefings early on? Not happening.”

Her comments come amid rising tensions between Trump and the press—a relationship that has only grown more hostile since his return to the White House in January. Trump, never one to hold back, has repeatedly attacked Collins, labeling her a “nasty person” after she challenged him on voter fraud lies and his role in the January 6 Capitol riot.

But Collins isn’t backing down.

“My job is to ask questions and get answers,” she said. “I’m not here to be liked by the president. I’m here to hold him accountable.”

Collins, now 32, became a viral sensation earlier this week after a fiery exchange with Trump’s new press secretary, Karoline Leavitt—the youngest in U.S. history at just 27. During a press briefing, Collins pressed Leavitt for evidence behind Trump’s claim that Biden’s pardons had been invalidated.

Leavitt snapped: “You’re a reporter. You should find out.”

Collins, cool under pressure, responded on the podcast with trademark poise. “We’re both just doing our jobs. Mine is to question, hers is to spin.”

Despite their professional clash, Collins noted they’re not so different. “We’re both young women in high-pressure roles trying to navigate a very combative environment,” she said. “But that doesn’t mean I’ll stop asking hard questions.”

Though many Democrats and independents remain critical of Trump’s return, Collins emphasized how much the political landscape has shifted since 2015.

“Even his biggest critics now acknowledge the level of political control he has,” she said. “You talk to any Democrat behind closed doors, and they’ll admit—Trump has a grip on the GOP unlike anything we’ve seen in decades.”

She recalled watching old clips of Trump’s early interviews and marveled at how underestimated he once was. “People didn’t take him seriously. That was a mistake.”

And now? He’s back in the White House, with Vice President JD Vance by his side—and with an even tighter leash on the Republican Party.

Collins also revealed previously unreported details about a volatile Oval Office confrontation between Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky.

“It was supposed to be diplomatic. Instead, it turned into a shouting match,” she said. “Trump was demanding Zelensky show more appreciation for U.S. military support. JD Vance was right there with him, backing it up.”

The kicker? Trump had reportedly called Zelensky a “dictator” just days earlier. Collins described the moment as “bizarre and deeply uncomfortable.”

“We expected tension,” she added. “We didn’t expect yelling.”

As for social media, Collins says it’s changed the entire political landscape—especially under Elon Musk’s ownership of X (formerly Twitter).

“People aren’t going online for news anymore,” she explained. “They go online to reinforce what they already believe.”

Even her own family isn’t immune. “My dad will call me after seeing something on Facebook asking if it’s true,” she laughed. “It’s a very different world.”

Despite the barbs and attacks, Collins believes Trump still craves one thing: attention from the press.

“He slams the media on stage, but privately? He watches. He reads. He wants to know what we’re saying,” she said.

In her view, Trump’s relationship with the press is less about rejection and more about addiction.

“He needs the headlines. He needs the spotlight. And he knows we’re the ones who shine it.”

For all his bluster, Donald Trump still cares deeply about what the media says. And journalists like Kaitlan Collins—armed with facts, poise, and a microphone—aren’t going anywhere.