The Subtle Sign Kaitlan Collins Might Actually Like Some Members Of The Trump Family

CNN's chief White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, has become a household name, all thanks to the unruly Trump administration. Pundits are all too familiar with Collins' bitter, and mostly one-sided, feud with President Donald Trump, so it's rather surprising she would want any of his family members gracing her social media feed. Interestingly enough, Collins actually follows two prominent Trump women: Ivanka and Kai Trump. She notably doesn't follow Donald's Instagram account, nor has she pressed the follow button on either Eric or Donald Trump Jr.'s either. First Lady Melania Trump also doesn't make an appearance in the journalist's "following" list.

If you find this tiny detail eyebrow-raising, you're not alone. Neither Kai nor Ivanka posts any political content that would be worth including in any of Collins' reporting. It would make sense if she followed the likes of White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt and the president himself; their social media content can often be relevant to her work. Kai and Ivanka, on the other hand, steer clear of these topics and have both made it clear that they're not planning on jumping into them either. 

During a January 2026 episode of the "Impaulsive" podcast, the teenager confirmed, "I stay out of politics completely [...] I don't want anything to do with politics because I feel like politics is such a dangerous thing." Ivanka, meanwhile, made it crystal clear that she was done with Washington after working in the White House during her father's first term. When Donald announced his reelection bid in 2022, Ivanka released a statement clarifying that she wouldn't be clocking in again. "I do not plan to be involved in politics," her statement read, per CNN. Maybe Collins simply finds Kai and Ivanka's Instagram feeds a welcome respite from her usual diet of political news.

Not only has Kaitlan Collins shown that she can handle a classic bad hair moment like a true champ, but CNN's chief White House correspondent has also managed to humiliate the likes of Vice President JD Vance with just one sentence. Thanks to frequently finding herself in the crosshairs of the Trump administration, many assume she's a Democrat, but the anchor has never disclosed her political leanings, and digging into her past doesn't provide much clarity on the matter either. Collins started her career at the Daily Caller, which was co-founded by Tucker Carlson. In fact, he's the one who set Collins on the path to success when he incentivized her to cover the 2016 election. Collins detailed to Vanity Fair in 2025 that her tenure at the conservative outlet saw her working among many folks who went on to become staunch Trump supporters. The journalist's impressive reporting caught CNN's eye, and she eventually made the big move over.

Collins' line of questioning has irked people like conservative pundit Megan McCain, who called for her White House press clearance to be revoked in July 2025 after she asked Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard some uncomfortable questions. But even that doesn't betray her politics. "[She's] fair, well-sourced, and not afraid to stand up to anybody," CNN CEO Mark Thompson proudly told Vanity Fair. Despite weathering President Donald Trump's wrath for refusing to back down from asking relevant questions, Collins doesn't seem to hold a grudge. "[Trump is] someone who seeks the validation of the press as much as he criticizes them publicly," she reasoned to The New Yorker. "And so, you know, it doesn't really bother me when he gets upset at my question."