Trans influencer breaks silence after Trump’s comparison to CNN anchor at WHCA Dinner

Dylan Mulvaney Responds to President Trump’s WHCA Dinner Joke Comparing Her to Kaitlan Collins

Explorehotelworld.com – Following a viral moment at Friday’s White House Correspondents’ Association Dinner, transgender social media personality Dylan Mulvaney has issued a public response to President Donald Trump’s humorous comparison. The former Bud Light collaborator took to TikTok on Sunday to address the president’s remarks, which poked fun at her by likening her to CNN’s longtime correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

In her video message, Mulvaney expressed a surprisingly positive outlook on the attention. “Maybe being publicly mocked and criticized by this administration is actually like the greatest compliment of all,” she shared with her followers. “Because it puts me in the company of some of the most brilliant, empathetic people in our world today.” The influencer, who once dominated social media platforms and became one of the most visible transgender figures in America, has kept a relatively quiet presence in recent years.

The Bud Light Controversy and Return to Spotlight

Mulvaney’s absence from the public eye followed a significant marketing misstep involving a major brewing corporation. Her partnership with Bud Light for a March Madness promotion in 2023 ultimately proved controversial. When she posted an Instagram video showcasing a Bud Light can bearing her image, the response was swift and intense. The campaign faced a prolonged boycott from consumers, and Anheuser-Busch experienced a staggering market capitalization decline exceeding $27 billion as a result.

However, Trump’s WHCA Dinner remarks have thrust Mulvaney back into the national conversation. The president’s joke specifically referenced the beer brand’s unsuccessful marketing efforts, drawing a parallel between the influencer and Collins, who has been a consistent critic of both the 45th and 47th presidents throughout her career.

“I thought Kaitlan Collins had really made it big with a major new sponsorship, but then I informed her that it wasn’t her on the Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney,” Trump remarked during his speech.

Trump’s Extended Roast of Collins

The president spent considerable time during his hour-and-four-minute address highlighting Collins’ professional demeanor. Beyond the Bud Light comparison, Trump referenced a TikTok series documenting his own transition from male to female, using it as a framework for his joke. He also commented on what he perceived as Collins’ unsmiling countenance during her reporting.

“I want to personally congratulate CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on receiving her award. It was all about me. It’s a fake. She shouldn’t get the award. It was a fake, but I didn’t mind. I said, ‘Kaitlan, congratulations.’ But it was fake. There’s no question about it,” Trump stated.

The award in question was the WHCA Award for Excellence in Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure. Collins earned this recognition for her broadcast coverage of the February 2025 Oval Office meeting between President Trump and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, which proved to be a contentious encounter.

“But she’s a young, attractive woman,” Trump continued. “She never smiles. I said, ‘Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile. You have a nice position. You’re at CNN — fake news. You should be a happy person. So smile, Kaitlan. Just smile.'”

Responses from Collins and CNN

Collins addressed the president’s comments through social media over the weekend. Her Instagram post featured a timeless quote from Eleanor Roosevelt: “No one can make you feel inferior without your consent.” The message resonated with many followers who saw it as a dignified response to the president’s jokes.

CNN’s leadership also issued an official statement regarding Trump’s remarks about one of their most prominent journalists. Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson emphasized the network’s commitment to journalistic integrity.

“We stand by our journalists and the integrity and fair mindedness with which the CNN team reports the news,” Thompson’s statement read. “Honest, accurate journalism may sometimes irritate politicians, but our right to report and present that reporting to the public without government interference is fully protected by the U.S. Constitution. CNN will continue to exercise this right.”

Mulvaney concluded her Sunday video message with gratitude toward the president and a personal affirmation. “To the president, thank you for reminding me that I am more powerful than I even knew,” she said. “And to quote my favorite recording artist, Shea Diamond, ‘I am America.'”