CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Taking on Another Major New Role at Network

Rising media star Kaitlan Collins is expanding her CNN portfolio, adding Chief White House Correspondent to her primetime anchor duties as the network prepares for Donald Trump‘s return to the presidency. Collins, 32, will continue hosting her weekday 9 p.m. show, The Source, while spearheading coverage of Trump’s second administration across CNN’s digital, television, and streaming platforms, per the CNN Pressroom. The move represents an unprecedented dual role for a network anchor.

“Kaitlan Collins is the perfect person to lead coverage of the new Trump White House, even as she continues to anchor her key primetime show The Source,” CNN Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson announced. “Kaitlan is a political journalist of real depth and tenacity who already boasts an amazing record of scoops and exclusive interviews. I’m excited to see what new heights she scales as she combines this key new posting with her duties as a major CNN anchor.”

The expansion of Collins’ role capitalizes on her extensive contacts with the Trump administration, which she developed during her time covering the White House for both CNN and the conservative outlet Daily Caller. Recently, she has been camped out in West Palm Beach near Mar-a-Lago, breaking major stories about the presidential transition while hosting her show from a setup nearby, according to Semafor.

Since launching The Source, Collins has conducted interviews with Secretary Hillary Clinton, Vice President-elect JD Vance, Attorney Marc Agnifilo, Former Attorney General William Barr, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, Trump’s criminal defense attorneys, and GOP presidential candidates. She also moderated Trump’s first town hall-style event of the 2024 presidential campaign for CNN last May.

The appointment comes as CNN navigates its approach to Trump’s second term. During an internal meeting with staff earlier this month, first reported by the Status newsletter via Semafor, Thompson emphasized that he did not want the network to default to leaning into anti-Trump coverage ahead of another four years of Trump in power, though he did not mention the president-elect specifically. He told CNN staffers that there would be numerous important stories outside the Beltway that should not be pushed aside.

Collins’ ascent marks a traditional path in an evolving media landscape. Unlike many of her peers who have made names for themselves as podcasters, news influencers, or online personalities, she rose through the ranks the old-fashioned way — first as a down-the-middle reporter and then as an anchor. Her ability to attract diverse guests, including CNN-skeptical Republicans, has distinguished her programming, though ratings occasionally dip below those of NewsNight, a panel show hosted by Abby Phillip at 10 p.m. ET that has become one of CNN’s few ratings bright spots.

Since joining CNN in 2017, Collins has broken several stories covering both the Biden and Trump administrations, including major staff departures and consequential policy decisions. Her accolades include recognition on TIME’s 2024 Next 100 List, consistent placement on Mediaite’s Most Influential People in News Media roster since 2018, inclusion in Crain’s NewsPro’s 12 to Watch in TV News in 2019, and spots on Forbes’ 30 Under 30: Media list and Variety’s New Power of New York list.

As part of this expansion, Collins and her show will relocate, at least part of the time, to Washington, D.C. from New York, positioning her closer to the incoming administration she’ll be covering across all CNN platforms.