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

A transgender influencer fired backmost astatine President Donald Trump aft his joke comparing nan biologic antheral to CNN's Kaitlan Collins during Friday night's White House Correspondent's Association (WHCA) Dinner went viral.

"Maybe being publically mocked and criticized by this management is really for illustration nan top compliment of all," said Dylan Mulvaney successful a TikTok station connected Sunday. "Because it puts maine successful nan institution of immoderate of nan astir brilliant, empathetic group successful our world today."

Mulvaney, erstwhile a societal media prima and 1 of nan astir recognizable transgender group successful nan United States, has maintained a debased profile complete nan past fewer years since an advertizing debacle featuring nan influencer tanked nan banal of a awesome brew company.

Mulvaney referred to nan Bud Light backlash arsenic benignant of a "mind game." (ABC screenshot)

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But Mulvaney was thrust backmost into nan spotlight aft Trump's WHCA Dinner joke comparing nan transgender influencer to Collins, a longtime media foe of nan 45th and 47th president.

"I thought Kaitlan Collins had really made it large pinch a awesome caller sponsorship, but past I informed her that it wasn't her connected nan Bud Light can, it was Dylan Mulvaney," he said, referencing nan brew brand's grounded trading campaign.

In 2023, Bud Light collaborated pinch Mulvaney for a March Madness promotion. On Instagram, Mulvaney posted a video featuring a Bud Light tin pinch their look connected it, sparking aggravated backlash, a prolonged boycott and a much than $27 cardinal nonaccomplishment successful marketplace headdress for Anheuser-Busch.

"To nan president, convey you for reminding maine that I americium much powerful than I moreover knew," Mulvaney said successful nan Sunday video. "And to quote my favourite signaling artist, Shea Diamond, ‘I americium America.’"

CNN newsman Kaitlan Collins looks connected earlier nan commencement of nan property briefing pinch White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt successful nan Brady Briefing Room of nan White House successful Washington, DC, connected January 7, 2026. (Mandel Ngan / AFP via Getty Images)

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Trump took his clip roasting Collins successful his hour-and-four-minute remarks astatine nan WHCA Dinner connected Friday.

Besides comparing her to a biologic antheral who transitioned to female successful a TikTok bid wherever they would chronicle each time of 'becoming a girl,' Trump besides took a swipe astatine her apparently steely demeanor.

"I want to personally congratulate CNN's Kaitlan Collins connected receiving her award. It was each astir me. It's a fake. She shouldn't get nan award. It was a fake, but I didn't mind. I said, 'Kaitlan, congratulations.' But it was fake. There's nary mobility astir it," Trump said.

Collins received nan WHCA Award for Excellence successful Presidential News Coverage Under Deadline Pressure for broadcast owed to her reporting connected nan contentious Oval Office gathering betwixt Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump successful February 2025.

"But she's a young, charismatic woman," Trump went on, adding, "She ne'er smiles. I said, 'Kaitlan, do you ever smile? Smile. You person a bully position. You're astatine CNN — clone news. You should beryllium a happy person. So smile, Kaitlan. Just smile.'"

President Donald Trump speaks during nan rescheduled White House Correspondents' Dinner successful nan Presidential Ballroom astatine nan Waldorf Astoria connected July 24, 2026, successful Washington, D.C. (Getty Images)

Collins appeared to respond to Trump's jokes astatine her disbursal successful an Instagram station complete nan play featuring a quote from Eleanor Roosevelt.

"No 1 tin make you consciousness inferior without your consent," nan quote said.

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CNN's nationalist relations team besides posted a connection connected X aft Trump's reside backing 1 of their biggest stars.

"We guidelines by our journalists and nan integrity and adjacent mindedness pinch which nan CNN squad reports nan news," nan statement, attributed to Chairman and CEO Mark Thompson, said.

"Honest, meticulous publicity whitethorn sometimes irritate politicians, but our correct to study and coming that reporting to nan nationalist without authorities interference is afloat protected by nan U.S. Constitution. CNN will proceed to workout this right."