Doug Collins Shows Republicans How To Handle Media Hacktivists

CNN is notorious for partaking in some of the biggest media hoaxes in recent years — and Veterans Affairs Secretary Doug Collins did not let them forget it.

On Wednesday, the former congressman appeared on the network for an interview with network host Kaitlin Collins (no relation). The CNN anchor is notorious for posing dishonestly framed questions to Republicans and advancing leftist narratives to the benefit of Democrats.

So, it came as no surprise when Kaitlin Collins probed the VA secretary about Atlantic Editor-in-Chief Jeffrey Goldberg‘s inclusion in a Signal chat formed by President Trump’s national security team to discuss U.S. strikes on Houthi terrorists in Yemen. The CNN host specifically noted Secretary Collins’ military service and asked, “How would you have felt if information like this was talked about, in an unclassified group chat, if a Navy fighter pilot is in the air?”

Secretary Collins — who was not included in the chat — said that Trump and “those involved in the chat … have explained that,” and added, “I trust the President’s opinion on that. I trust what’s been going on.” The VA chief further emphasized, “Everyone’s entitled to their own opinion. And my opinion is that my job is to take care of veterans in this country, as they come out of service, and that’s what I’m going to continue to do.”

But that answer clearly didn’t satisfy Kaitlin Collins, who then tried to goad Secretary Collins into trashing his boss and the Trump administration over the matter. Citing unnamed congressional Republicans “who said they don’t like how the administration is handling this,” the CNN anchor asked the VA secretary if he believes “that a mistake was made here, though, to have this conversation, to add a reporter, and to have it on an unsupported, unclassified group setting.”

Secretary Collins told the network host he already answered her question and would not “speculate more than what the president’s already talked about, and those who have been involved have talked about.”

“But [I] would love to talk about the veterans,” the VA secretary said.

Katilin Collins claimed she had “questions about the veterans,” but then again proceeded to hassle Secretary Collins about the Trump cabinet’s use of Signal — while declining to mention the Biden administration’s recommended use of the encrypted messaging app for high-ranking government officials. Seemingly fed up with the CNN anchor’s political gamesmanship, the VA secretary blasted Kaitlin Collins for her apparent disinterest in his agency and CNN’s history of publishing fake news about a Navy veteran.

“Well, Kaitlan, since you undoubtedly do not want to talk about the VA, I have a question, as VA secretary … I want to ask you, because I’ve been curious about this, because my job is to take care of veterans,” Secretary Collins said. “And I would like to know why CNN is hostile to veterans, especially one in Florida, where you just had a $5 million defamation suit, taking offense at a veteran who was trying to help people. In fact, one of your employees actually said, ‘We’re going to nail him.’”

He continued, “I have a question for you, Kaitlan. Is that employee still employed? Are you really concerned about veterans? So, if we don’t want to talk about veterans now, and you want to talk about everything else, I’d like to hear from CNN, as the veteran cabinet secretary, why CNN seems to have a problem with veterans?”

Secretary Collins’ remarks are in reference to a January jury verdict, which found that CNN defamed U.S. Navy veteran Zachary Young. As The Federalist’s Brianna Lyman reported, “The case arose after CNN aired a segment in November of 2021 on ‘The Lead with Jake Tapper’ that falsely framed Young as exploiting Afghans by offering evacuations from Afghanistan on a ‘black market.’”

Young was awarded $4 million in “economic damages” and $1 million in “emotional damages” by jurors overseeing the case.

[READ: Jury Finds CNN Is Literally Fake News]

Rather than answer the VA secretary’s query, Katilin Collins attempted to pivot back to her question about the Trump cabinet’s Signal use. Secretary Collins interjected, asking her repeatedly to answer his question about CNN’s publication of fake news.

“[R]espectfully, I’m conducting the investigation. And I do have a lot of questions for you on Veterans Affairs,” Kaitlain Collins said before again trying to pivot back to her Signal question.

Not allowing the host to get away with ignoring her network’s role in defaming Young, Secretary Collins cut Kaitlin Collins off and blasted her for her partisan antics.

“What you want to do is talk about a subject that I have already answered. And if you want to continue this, like this, that’s fine. But there are VA employees who are working very hard,” the VA secretary said. “There are veterans who get their care from the VA, and they get their benefits from the VA. And it does me no good to speculate on something that I’ve already asked and answered. So, I’ve asked and answered your question. Why don’t you answer mine? … Is this person still employed, who said they were going to ‘nail’ one of my veterans, who you had to do a $5 million award from a jury because of defamation, and then you settled the case? Answer my question.”

The remarks left Katilin Collins scrambling, prompting the CNN host to once again declare she’s the one “asking the questions here,” and claim she had “no involvement” in the case he referenced.

[READ: ‘Innuendo And Rumor Stories’: VA Secretary Collins Blasts Media Hacktivist’s Anti-DOGE Hatchet Job]

Secretary Collins’ response is exactly how all Republicans should treat dishonest and disingenuous media hacktivists, many of whom could care less about the myriad national security crises perpetuated by the Biden administration.

These so-called “journalists” have no interest in the truth or ensuring accountability across government. Their only goal is — and long has been — to carry water for the Democrat Party.

Shawn Fleetwood is a staff writer for The Federalist and a graduate of the University of Mary Washington. He previously served as a state content writer for Convention of States Action and his work has been featured in numerous outlets, including RealClearPolitics, RealClearHealth, and Conservative Review. Follow him on Twitter @ShawnFleetwood