President Donald Trump criticized CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins during a White House event on Monday after signing executive proclamations modifying the boundaries of two national monuments in Utah before taking questions from reporters.
The event focused on proclamations affecting the Bears Ears National Monument and the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument.
As The Gateway Pundit reported [1], according to the White House, the changes were intended to reverse expansions made during former President Joe Biden’s administration.
“The Proclamations reduce these monuments to appropriate sizes that allow for common sense land use in these areas,” the White House said.
The White House said one proclamation reduces the size of the Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument from approximately 1.87 million acres to about 181,500 acres.
A second proclamation reduces the size of the Bears Ears National Monument from approximately 1.36 million acres to approximately 121,100 acres.
According to the White House, the protected landmarks, structures, and objects covered under the Antiquities Act will continue to receive protection.
The administration said the surrounding land not directly associated with those protected sites will be available for multiple-use, sustained-yield management.
After signing the executive orders, Trump answered several questions from members of the press.
During the exchange, CNN correspondent Kaitlan Collins questioned the president about comments he had made regarding the Strait of Hormuz.
Collins asked Trump who would reimburse the United States after he previously said America was “going to get paid for guarding” the strategic waterway.
Trump responded by criticizing Collins and CNN.
“You read fake news like you network, CNN…the fake news would rather us lose the war, which is really treasonous!” Trump said.
The exchange came as the administration continued military operations targeting Iran. Earlier Monday, Trump announced that U.S. forces were conducting another round of military strikes against Iranian targets, marking the third consecutive night of operations.
Before ending the question-and-answer session, the president referenced the ongoing military action.
“We’re doing a major attack tonight…for 47 years, nobody’s hit them militarily. We’re hitting them very hard. Thank you very much!”
Trump said as he concluded the event and directed members of the press to leave the room.
The confrontation followed a series of public comments by Trump regarding U.S. operations involving Iran and the Strait of Hormuz, where he has said the United States intends to maintain security in the strategically important shipping lane.
The monument proclamations signed on Monday also represent another reversal of environmental and land management policies adopted during the Biden administration.
According to the White House, the revised boundaries are intended to balance preservation of historically and scientifically significant sites with broader land-use opportunities outside those protected areas.
The White House maintained that the Antiquities Act protections for designated landmarks, structures, and objects remain unchanged under the new proclamations, while lands not directly connected to those resources will be managed under multiple-use policies.
The exchange between Trump and Collins quickly drew attention as it unfolded during the press availability following the signing ceremony.
The president ended the session immediately after responding to Collins’ question and referencing the ongoing military campaign.
The White House has continued to emphasize both its land management initiatives and its military actions in the Middle East as major priorities of the administration.