Colbert Asks CNN’s Kaitlan Collins to Weigh in On Trump’s ‘Apparent Weaponizing of the FCC’

Stephen Colbert pressed CNN chief White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins to weigh in “as a journalist” on President Donald Trump’s “apparent weaponizing” of the Federal Communications Commission Tuesday night – an issue he claimed was central to his own ongoing tussle with CBS executives.

The question came one day after Colbert clashed with his own network after he accused them of pulling the plug on his interview with Texas state Rep. James Talarico (D), with the host claiming that CBS lawyers cited FCC’s “equal time” rule as a rationale. The host accused CBS of “enforcing” the rule, the application of which he’d questioned.

CBS denied the framing in a statement released on Tuesday only for the host to then brand the response “crap.”

Hours later, with Collins as his guest on The Late Show, Colbert raised Trump and the FCC but framed his approach around the president’s November clash with ABC News journalist Mary Bruce, where he demanded the FCC revoke the network’s license.

STEPHEN COLBERT: Back in November the president suggested that FCC chair Brendan Carr look into ABC’s broadcast license after Mary Bruce asked questions he didn’t like. As a journalist what do you make after Trump’s apparent weaponizing of the FCC?

KAITLAN COLLINS: I think it’s something that the president – we didn’t see him do as much of the first term, it’s a way he’s wielding his power so differently in the second term.

COLBERT:: The chains are off.

COLLINS: Ever since Brendan Carr was in this position I don’t think anything he’s done is really that surprising, if you are covering Trump and paying attention. And so I think the question is how far he goes on his threats. Does he follow through? Does he even need to follow through or does making the threat because the action?

COLBERT: Threaten the network and we might do it for you without making a ruling.

The audience, seeing Colbert’s segue to his own FCC-charged showdown with CBS, laughed and cheered out loud, seeing the jab at CBS after the Talarico fallout. Collins interrupted, though, to warn that using the “equal time” rule could eventually backfire if a future Democratic administration decides to do the same.

COLLINS: I think it’s actually a really, really slippery slope because I think you’ve seen some people on the right cheering this and saying that’s what we want Brendan Carr to do. I think they don’t want a Democratic administration saying that right-wing talk radio must give equal time to Democrats or to see that moment.

For me personally on our show I have Democrats and Republicans on. I want to know everyone is saying. I want my viewers to know what the debate is that’s in Washington. I don’t think anyone wants the federal government telling people who they should book on their show and who the guests should be on their show.

The response was met with a further roar of applause and cheering.

Watch above via CBS.

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