President Donald Trump targeted CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins and transgender influencer Dylan Mulvaney during his speech at the White House Correspondents' Dinner [1].
The incident highlights the ongoing tension between the U.S. president and the press, specifically targeting female reporters and LGBTQ+ figures to appeal to his political base [2, 3].
Speaking on May 12, 2024 [1], Trump focused his attention on Collins, criticizing her demeanor. "She never smiles," Trump said [3]. He further said to the journalist, "Smile, you have a nice position, you're at CNN fake news, you should be a happy person" [2].
During the event in Washington, D.C., the president used the platform to make transphobic jokes by comparing Collins to Mulvaney [2, 3]. The attacks extended beyond the live speech. Following the event, Trump posted an AI-generated image that placed the face of Collins onto the body of Mulvaney [4, 5].
Trump frequently uses the White House Correspondents' Association Dinner as a venue to mock perceived liberal media figures [2]. By linking a mainstream news reporter to a transgender influencer, the president sought to score political points with his supporters [3].
While some reports suggested other targets during the speech, corroborating accounts from major news outlets do not mention references to Bud Light [2, 4, 5]. The primary focus of the tirade remained the personal targeting of Collins and the use of synthetic media to ridicule her appearance.
“"She never smiles."”
The use of AI-generated imagery to target a specific journalist marks an escalation in the president's rhetorical strategy. By blending personal attacks with synthetic media, the administration is not only challenging the credibility of the press but is also utilizing digital manipulation to marginalize individuals based on gender and identity.
