CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins has called out President Donald Trump for keeping the press away amid a “tanking” stock market after his refusal to rule out an economic downturn.
The Dow Jones Industrial Average dropped over a thousand points Monday and closed at -890 points amid recession fears fueled by Trump’s repeated refusal to rule out a recession over the weekend — first during a Fox News interview that aired Sunday morning and then during a press gaggle on Air Force One.
There were three events on Trump’s schedule for Monday — all of which were closed to the press.
On Monday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, the host blamed Trump for amplifying recession fears, and then noted Trump “remained behind closed doors” as the markets were “tanking”:
KAITLAN COLLINS: It was awfully quiet, at the White House, today, a statement that we haven’t really been able to say or utter at all, over the last seven weeks. But it rang true today, as the markets were tanking, over President Trump’s massive tariff policy, and his refusal to rule out the possibility of a recession, with Wall Street having its worst day of 2025.The President remained behind closed doors for all of it, declining to open any of the three events that he had listed on his public schedule to the press, who were waiting nearby with questions.The President has
a history of paying close attention to the markets, touting them when they’re up as a gauge of his political success, often ignoring them when they’re full of red, even when amplified by his own words.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)MARIA BARTIROMO, FOX BUSINESS ANCHOR: Are you expecting a recession this year?DONALD TRUMP, PRESIDENT, UNITED STATES OF AMERICA: I hate to predict things like that. There is a period of transition. Because what we’re doing is very big. We’re bringing wealth back to America. That’s a big thing. And there are always periods of, it takes a little time. It takes a little time.(END VIDEO CLIP)COLLINS: The President there, preparing Americans, potentially, to wait a little bit, as he was hesitant to rule out any possibility that his own policies could trigger a recession.When he was given another chance, later, on Air Force One, flying back here to Washington, he said this.(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Are you worried about a recession? Maria Bartiromo asked you, and you kind of hesitated.TRUMP: I’ll tell you what — of course you hesitate, who knows?(END VIDEO CLIP)COLLINS: Who knows.Now, of course, the President is not saying that there will be a recession. But refusing to rule out the possibility, is notable.Trump and his top economic advisers have argued that the moves that they are making here are necessary, to rebalance the globaltrade system that, they argue, has unfairly put the United States in the place that it is now.Investors, though, are clearly spooked. When you look at where the markets are, and where they were on Election Day, and just the last few months, as you can see here, compared to where they closed this afternoon. Now, all of this comes as the President is set to impose more tariffs, this week, including on all U.S. steel and aluminum imports, vowing there will be no exemptions for that. And as for those businesses that are seeking clarity, the President said over the weekend, quote, They have plenty of clarity. Today, he declined to say as much, at least in front of the cameras.
Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.