Trump Ordered Female Reporter to Smile During Epstein Question

Daily Beast editor argues Trump's demand was a tool to control women in the press

Published on Feb. 4, 2026

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President Donald Trump ordered CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins to smile while she was asking him about his longtime friend, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Daily Beast Content Officer Joanna Coles argues that Trump's demand was not a clumsy deflection, but rather a tool for controlling women in the press. Coles notes that Trump has never made similar demands of male reporters, and says that when women speak with authority, they are considered "shrill," while men are "experts."

Why it matters

Coles' analysis suggests Trump's behavior reflects a broader societal double standard that holds women to different standards than men, particularly in positions of authority. The incident highlights concerns about how powerful men, including those in politics, can attempt to undermine and control women, even in professional settings.

The details

Coles asserts that Trump's demand for Collins to smile while asking about Epstein was "especially grotesque" given the seriousness of the topic. She notes that it took over 1,000 victims for America to recognize Epstein as a "serial predator" rather than a "misunderstood libertine." Yet, Coles says, Trump's "instinct" was to "shrug off Epstein's crimes" and instead "focus on the real problem: a woman asking tough questions."

  • On February 5, 2026, President Donald Trump ordered CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins to smile while she was asking him about his longtime friend, convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The players

Kaitlan Collins

A CNN reporter who was ordered by President Trump to smile while asking him about Jeffrey Epstein.

Joanna Coles

The Content Officer at The Daily Beast who argues that Trump's demand for Collins to smile was a tool for controlling women in the press.

Jeffrey Epstein

A convicted sex offender and longtime friend of President Trump.

Donald Trump

The former President of the United States who ordered a female reporter to smile while asking about his friend Jeffrey Epstein.

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What they’re saying

“Trump has never asked a male correspondent why he isn't smiling. He didn't say it to Jim Acosta. He didn't say it to David Sanger. He didn't even say it to Don Lemon. Men are allowed to look grim, severe, even hostile, while women are expected to look decorative, happy, even pleasing. Even if they're asking about rape, corruption, and moral rot, a lady reporter must remember her lip gloss.”

— Joanna Coles, Content Officer, The Daily Beast (The Daily Beast)

“What makes Trump's jab at Collins, 33, especially grotesque is that she was asking about convicted sex trafficker Jeffrey Epstein. It took more than one thousand victims — one thousand! — for America to agree that Epstein was not a misunderstood libertine with powerful friends, but a serial predator running a vertically integrated abuse operation with powerful friends.”

— Joanna Coles, Content Officer, The Daily Beast (The Daily Beast)

“Smiling is what you do when the system is working. Not when it's protecting monsters.”

— Joanna Coles, Content Officer, The Daily Beast (The Daily Beast)

The takeaway

This incident highlights the double standards and attempts to control women, even in professional settings, that women journalists and other women in positions of authority often face. It underscores the need to address these systemic issues and ensure equal treatment and respect for all, regardless of gender.