CNN’s Kaitlan Collins Says Trump Got ‘Special Treatment’ From Probation — Despite ‘All The Talk’ To Contrary

CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins told New York Times correspondent and CNN analyst Maggie Haberman that despite MAGA-world complaints about the justice system, ex-President Donald Trump got “special treatment” for his probation meeting.

Trump was forced to attend a probationary hearing on Monday before his sentencing on July 11 for his 34 felony conviction. in the Stormy Daniels hush money-election interference trial. He “attended” virtually from his Mar-a-Lago resort, and there were a few other differences.

On Monday night’s edition of CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins, Collins opened the show by ticking through the details of the historic meeting, and told Haberman that despite “all the talk” from Trump and his supporters, he often gets “special treatment” like this:

The President and the probation officers. We have brand-new details from inside Donald Trump’s pre-sentencing interview that could have a huge impact on his punishment, including whether Judge Merchan sends him to prison.

And Rudy Giuliani’s latest mugshot, this time in Arizona. As the once- powerful Mayor drowns in debt and scandal, he says he has no regrets. We’ve got the tape of him today.

And new images of those extraordinary moments that hostages are found alive, during that daring rescue mission, in Gaza, in broad daylight. A top Israeli official will join me here live.

I’m Kaitlan Collins. And this is THE SOURCE.

Let this sink in for just a moment. The presumptive Republican nominee, and the former President of the United States, just met with probation officers, ahead of his sentencing, which happens to be one month from tomorrow, here in New York.

Now, these pre-sentencing interviews are routine procedures, for convicted felons. But it’s safe to say there is nothing ordinary about this interview, or this convicted felon.

Here’s what we do know, as of 9 PM, here tonight. It was around 3:30, this afternoon that Donald Trump met virtually, from his Mar-a-Lago club, down in South Florida, with officials, here in New York.

Our sources say that he answered all the questions that were asked of him. CNN’s John Miller was told that Trump was polite, respectful and accommodating to the probation officers, who conducted this interview. And the whole thing was over in just under half an hour.

It is quite the call. But adding to the unusual nature of this whole thing, we’re told that the Commissioner of New York’s Probation Department was present for it, along with the General Counsel, and the officer who’s assigned to the case.

And Trump, as we know, with the permission of the judge here, Juan Merchan, was joined by his lead attorney, Todd Blanche, who argued this case. Now typically, a convicted defendant would meet with their probation officer without their attorney there. But this was different here, like many of the dynamics here.

And ultimately, it is the Probation Department that will submit a report, based in part on today’s interview, to the judge here, who of course, will then ultimately decide what Trump’s punishment will be.

I’m joined tonight by Trump biographer, CNN Political Analyst, and New York Times Senior Political Correspondent, Maggie Haberman.

Maggie, I mean, it’s a required step before a sentencing. But just the aspect that he is undergoing this is just remarkable in and of itself.

MAGGIE HABERMAN: Everything about this is remarkable. And I do think that we lose sight of it, especially those of us, who were in that courtroom, as you and I were.

This is a former President, who was — try to understand that his supporters think that this was not a case that should have been brought. They say that all the time. I think his lawyers feel this way too. But nonetheless, he was convicted, and it took less than two days.

And now, we are hurtling toward a Republican National Convention, where he is going to be nominated for a third time, as the party’s nominee, and he will have just been sentenced, a few days earlier, on July 11th. And so, I don’t think we can overstate how remarkable this is. I think where it stops feeling remarkable is that voters don’t seem particularly interested in it.

And so, this is history. This is something we have never experienced before. Everything you just described is not the usual procedure, in this kind of a sentencing report interview. But this is not typical, as you said.

COLLINS: Yes. For all the talk of how Trump is treated. I mean, he does get special treatment–

HABERMAN: Yes.

COLLINS: –in some of these circumstances.

Watch above via CNN’s The Source with Kaitlan Collins.