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Trump tells CNN reporter ahead of U.N. speech, 'you shouldn't be here' amid media ban

President Donald Trump lashed out at CNN s Kaitlan Collins before his address the U.N. General Assembly in New York amid the White House ban to deny CNN, MS NOW and Politico access. Those three news outlets are suing the president for violating the First Amendment . Collins asked Trump as he entered the U.N. building, Two thirds of Americans dont think the U.S. is winning the war with Iran. When will it end? Arriving with First Lady Melania Trump, Trump brushed aside the question and told Collins: You should not be here covering me. You said you werent going to cover me. You shouldnt be covering me. After Trumps comments, Collins said on CNN that the network never said we were not going to cover the president and vowed that CNN would continue reporting on him despite the White Houses efforts to restrict its access. She noted that the network was covering the president from the United Nations under U.N. credentials while the legal fight over White House access continues. United States President Donald Trump speaks to the media as he arrives for the 81st session of the United Nations General Assembly at United Nations headquarters, Tuesday, September 22, 2026. Donald Trump UNGA Speech: Iranian Delegation Walks Out Trump began his highly anticipated UNGA speech Tuesday morning in front of a standing room only crowd at the General Assembly hall. As Trump spoke about the last six months of Iran military strikes , the countrys U.N. delegates walked out. Trump said that he had a big decision coming up on Iran. Will a deal be made with Iran that lets them rebuild and create a far greater country than it ever was before? Trump asked. Or do I annihilate the Islamic Republic and do it quickly, never giving them a chance to kill and destroy people and countries again? The president continued: Do I drive them into hell? Trump said he believes Tehran will make a deal right after the election in November. Trump to the UN: Do I annihilate the Islamic Republic, and do it quickly? Do I drive them into hell? pic.twitter.com/cIYBO1Mp3w Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) September 22, 2026 Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi are in New York for the annual meeting but didnt attend Trumps speech. However, their staff and delegates watched the beginning of Trumps speech then exited the General Assembly 10 minutes into his remarks. Only one Iranian delegate remained in the hall to listen to the U.S. president. As Trump spoke about Iran, the camera panned to the lone remaining delegate from Iran, who glared stone-faced at the president. Trump also said in his speech that hes not concerned about the war in Iran hurting Republicans in the midterm elections. The election doesnt even enter my mind when it comes to Iran, he said. A new NBC News poll found widespread skepticism toward the conflict, with 62 percent of voters saying the war has not been worth it and 57 percent saying they would be less likely to support candidates who back it. The findings arrive amid growing Republican unease over the wars political costs, particularly in competitive midterm races. Diesel has risen to a record $6.50 amid ongoing supply constraints from the Iran war and other global pressures, exposing a significant political vulnerability for the GOP. Still, Trump said hes not concerned with politics. Theyre waiting to see how I do in the midterm election, Trump said of Iran. What they dont realize is that Im not running. I did that already, and won in a landslide and Ill be here for two-and-a-half years. This is a breaking news article. Updates to follow. The Associated Press contributed to this story. Related Articles Map Shows Donald Trump's Approval Rating in States With $6.50 Diesel Republican Demands Donald Trump Jr Be Investigated Over Russian Wedding Gift Democrats Open Up Widest Lead Over Republicans Just Weeks Before Midterms Start your unlimited Newsweek trial This article originally appeared on NEWSWEEK at https://www.newsweek.com/donald-trump-kaitlan-collins-un-speech-media-ban-12472723