CNN's Kaitlan Collins grills GOP Sen. J.D. Vance over campus protests, Trump's immunity claim
“I would disagree that it’s a media double standard,” Collins countered before moving on to Trump's immunity claims
Kaitlan Collins, a CNN host and anchor, decried GOP Senator J.D. Vance over hypocrisy on Gaza protests on college campuses nationwide. During a live interview on Wednesday, Collins clashed with Vance, who is known for his pro-Trump stance, on the ex-President's “immunity” claim. When Collins, 32, queried the 39-year-old Republican over the Jan. 6 riots, he decried her for bringing up the subject, blaming the mainstream media for its “obsession” with the Capitol Attack.
CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins calls out Senator J.D. Vance over campus protests hypocrisy
During CNN's segment, The Source, Collins asked Vance about his views on pro-Palestine campus protests and the safety of students. “My view on this is that Israel’s our ally, that we should support them, but you can’t police people for being anti-Israel or pro-Israel. You can police people for violating the law, and we have seen some of that with some of these protests,” he said.
However, Collins countered with, “Okay. So you agree that people who break in and vandalize the building should be prosecuted?” The senator agreed, saying, “Exactly.” She then brought up the subject of the Jan. 6 riots, highlighting how he supported pro-Trump rioters at the time.
“I’m just checking because you did help raise money for people who did so on January 6, which was impeding an official proceeding, breaking into a building that they weren’t allowed to be in and vandalizing the Capitol,” she said.
However, Vance fumed at the subject and criticised her for bringing it up. “I would disagree that it’s a media double standard,” Collins countered before moving on to Trump's immunity claims amid the ongoing criminal trial in New York City. “Do you share the view that presidents are basically above the law?” She asked as they got into a lengthy, heated discussion.
“Look, Kaitlan, I think we need to be careful about imputing words into the president’s attorneys that they didn’t actually say,” he reminded Collins, who said, “He agreed with it.”
“What the president’s attorney said, Kaitlan, to be clear, is that there is a checks and balances,” he said, adding, “The president’s attorneys are saying that the constitutional checks and balances system– system in our Constitution.” However, Collins interjected with, “Let me stop you right there.”