President Donald Trump unloaded on CNN’s Kaitlan Collins during a surprise White House press briefing Monday, calling the reporter a loser after she questioned his support for Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid a fresh impeachment push.
The fiery exchange erupted after Collins pressed Trump about Republican Rep. Thomas Massie’s allegations against the Pentagon chief, who is facing eight articles of impeachment introduced by the Kentucky congressman.
Trump made it clear he had little patience for either Collins or Massie.
“Massie’s a loser, just like you’re a loser at CNN, just like your ratings are a loser. Massie is a loser, stone-cold loser,” Trump fired back.
The confrontation came during an unscheduled appearance in the White House briefing room, where Trump fielded questions about the Iran war, the conflict between Russia and Ukraine and the political fallout from last week’s midterm elections.
But the discussion took a sharp turn when reporters raised Massie’s attempt to remove Hegseth from office.
Trump to Kaitlan Collins:
“Massie’s a loser just like you’re a loser at CNN. Your ratings are a loser. Massie is a stone cold loser.”
No filterhttps://t.co/enExdv03W1
— Alec Lace (@AlecLace) November 9, 2026
Earlier Monday, Massie formally introduced eight articles of impeachment against the defense secretary, reading the accusations aloud on the House floor shortly after 2 p.m.
The Kentucky Republican accused Hegseth of exceeding his constitutional authority during military operations involving Iran, Venezuela and suspected drug traffickers in international waters.
POLL: Do You Stand With Pete Hegseth Against The Dems Trying To Impeach Him?
The allegations include claims that military operations were conducted without proper congressional authorization and that certain actions violated federal and international law.
Pete Hegseth and the Trump administration have rejected the impeachment effort.
When asked whether he had watched Massie’s remarks on the House floor, Trump dismissed the congressman and questioned why lawmakers were spending time on the effort.
“Massie’s a loser. He shouldn’t be taking up the time of Congress, or the Senate or anything that he’s doing. The guy’s a stone-cold loser,” Trump said.
The president also accused Massie of repeatedly opposing Republican priorities during his time in Congress.
“He’s a sick, sick guy. There’s something wrong with him, actually. Now he’s after Pete Hegseth. He doesn’t like Hegseth, but really, what has Hegseth done?” Trump said.
RELATED: BREAKING: GOP Rep. Files Impeachment Articles Against Pete Hegseth
Collins then pressed the president on whether he would continue supporting Hegseth if the House voted to impeach him.
Trump did not hesitate.
“Yeah, I’ll stand by,” he responded. “He won two wars. He was in charge. We all won.”
When Collins brought up Massie’s accusations of illegal conduct, Trump turned his criticism directly toward the CNN correspondent, delivering the exchange that quickly circulated across social media.
The president also revisited his successful effort to defeat Thomas Massie in Kentucky’s Republican primary earlier this year.
Trump backed political newcomer Ed Gallrein against the incumbent after repeated disagreements over spending, foreign policy and the administration’s legislative agenda.
“I took on a guy that was, in his own way, sort of popular in his state, and I beat him badly, beat him easily with a man that never ran before,” Trump said.
He continued criticizing Massie’s opposition to the administration while defending the Pentagon’s military record.
RELATED: WATCH: Hegseth Responds To Impeachment Threats, Reveals Next Step For Pentagon
“Massie has a lot of hatred in his heart. … I heard what Massie did. I don’t want to watch. I don’t want to waste my time watching him. We won two wars. We won two wars, and we’ve made the world a lot safer place.”
Massie’s latest impeachment attempt comes after his previous effort in September failed to reach a House vote before lawmakers departed Washington for the pre-midterm recess.
With Congress back in session, the Kentucky Republican is seeking to force another confrontation over Hegseth’s leadership.
The impeachment push also comes as Republicans assess their losses in the Nov. 3 midterms, which handed Democrats control of both chambers beginning in January.
Some Republicans have expressed concerns about the administration’s strategy in Iran, although that criticism does not necessarily translate into support for impeaching Hegseth.
Trump, meanwhile, has continued defending his defense secretary and maintaining that American military operations have strengthened national security.
Massie’s resolution could receive a House vote later this week, depending on how Republican leadership handles the measure.
Even if the House approves impeachment, removing Hegseth from office would require a two-thirds majority in the Senate.
POLL: Do You Approve Of Secretary Of War Pete Hegseth?
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[ H/T Trending Politics ]
