Kaitlan Collins (Extended) | Must FCC TV

Summary

The Late Show Pod Show with Stephen Colbert

Episode: Kaitlan Collins (Extended) | Must FCC TV
Date: February 18, 2026
Guest: Kaitlan Collins, CNN Chief White House Correspondent & Anchor of The Source

---

Main Theme / Purpose

This episode delivers Stephen Colbert's signature blend of late-night satire, political commentary, and a revealing extended interview with Kaitlan Collins. Major themes include media accountability, the FCC's impact on late-night journalism (especially in light of recent “equal time” controversies), and high-profile political news—particularly around Trump's second term and the continuing fallout from the Epstein files. Collins offers candid insights into White House reporting, press freedoms, and the unique challenges of truth-telling in an era of persistent misinformation.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Late Show Monologue: News, Satire, and Political Lampooning

• Holidays Converge: Colbert notes the rare overlap of Lunar New Year, Mardi Gras, Ramadan, and Lent, jokingly inventing "Mardi Gras-Mandana Taco Lent Day" (00:50–02:00).
• State of the Union & Polls: Reflects on Americans' declining optimism, referencing Gallup data and skewering President Trump's low approval rating (04:40–06:00).
• Trump & Infrastructure: Colbert mocks Trump's proposal to only fund the NY-NJ rail tunnel if Penn Station is renamed after him:

  "New Yorkers will not be forced to commute to Trump Station. But I do have a counter offer... the Trump Port Authority Bus Terminal men's room, stall number three. The one without the door or toilet." (06:00)

• Epstein Files & Lack of Accountability:
  • Trump denies connections to Epstein ("I have nothing to hide... I've been totally exonerated." – 06:57)
  • Colbert’s retort:

    "Apparently he does not know the meaning of the word exonerated, or totally, or I've been." (07:07)

  • Lampoons contrast between U.S. and UK fallout, noting the lack of consequences for U.S. politicians.

2. FCC, “Equal Time,” and Corporate Interference (12:35–20:02)

• YouTube Interview—FCC Complications: Colbert details CBS's decision to avoid airing a Texas Senate candidate interview over fears of violating the FCC's equal time rule, highlighting the network's legal caution even before the FCC officially acts (12:35–14:46).
• Colbert’s Critique of CBS Legal:

  “I am well aware that we can book other guests. I didn't need to be presented with that option.” (15:40)
  “For the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising. I don't even know what to do with this crap.” (18:50)

• Underlying Concern: Asks why CBS and Paramount aren't defending creative and press freedoms, criticizing their willingness to preemptively comply with possible future regulatory changes.

3. Kaitlan Collins Interview: Reporting in the Trump-Biden-Trump Eras

The Reality of White House Reporting (20:17–23:42)

• Double Duty: Collins now anchors The Source while remaining chief White House correspondent.
• Atmosphere and Change: The press corps and White House environment have shifted, but the basic unpredictability—and importance—of robust reporting persists.

  “It is like a second season of a television show... different characters and different plot lines except it’s real and it’s the president and it’s the White House.” (21:20)

• Mission Consistency:

  “The mission is still the same…holding powerful, taxpayer-funded officials to account…asking tough questions, it’s covering the stories, it's making people uncomfortable… whether it's a Republican or Democrat.” (23:19)

• Truth vs. Alternative Facts: The team rejects “alternative facts,” affirming,

  “There aren’t alternative facts, there’s facts and that’s it.” (23:10)

When Reporting Gets Personal (23:42–26:03)

• Trump’s Attack on Collins: Replay of Trump’s confrontation after a question about sexual assault survivors:

  Trump: “No one wants to see you smile…I’ve known you for 10 years. I don't think I've ever seen you smile.” (24:01)

• Collins diagnoses his tactic as deflection:

  “He has called me a lot of names. He's gone after me and tried to deflect from the questions that we're asking...I don’t think any woman…I think a lot of women can identify with that moment and that feeling.” (24:34–25:00)

  • Memorable Moment: Collins receives a flood of childhood and recent photos showing her smiling, humorously refuting Trump’s jab (25:29).

On Press Freedom and FCC Weaponization (26:03–27:32)

• FCC as a Political Weapon:

  “It’s a way [Trump’s] wielding his power so differently in this second term… the question is how far he goes on his threats or does just making the threat...already cause the impact?” (26:03–26:35)

• Warning on Precedent: Collins notes,

  “I don't think anyone wants the federal government telling people who they should book on their show and who the guests should be...” (27:08)

Audience Q: Why Are Americans Still Obsessed with the Epstein Files? (29:18–32:13)

• Bipartisan Frustration: Collins describes widespread demand for justice:

  “It’s Republicans and Democrats alike who want answers. And really what they want is accountability… Anyone, anyone.” (29:32)

• Press Forced to Do DOJ’s Work:

  Colbert: “Isn’t it weird that the Justice Department has all this information…and yet, they’re not prosecuting anyone? It’s almost like they’re saying, press, you do our job.” (30:08)

  • Collins cites a real-time unredaction incident with Rep. Thomas Massie:

    “Had he not pointed it out, would it have been unredacted?” (30:19–31:01)

• Justice for Survivors:

  “All they want is accountability. It’s not political for them. It’s personal.” (32:13)

4. Lighter Segment: Who Wants To Be a Millionaire? (33:23–36:41)

• Collins on Game Shows: Shares nerves and study habits prepping for “Who Wants to Be a Millionaire” with Jake Tapper.
• Big Loss: Fails on a Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup trivia question, gets “plug” vs. “pad” wrong.

  “The biggest indignity…my colleague filled my office with Reese’s cups and the word plug everywhere. He was like, it’s obviously plug.” (36:19)

• Charity Wins: Money still donated to dog foster group “Muddy Paws.”

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• Colbert, about CBS legal’s heavy hand:

  “They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS's lawyers, who, for the record, approve every script that goes on the air, whether it’s about equal time or this image of frogs having sex. That’s a true story, but for another time.” (16:40)

• Colbert, on preemptive compliance:

  “Come on, you’re Paramount. No, no, you’re more than that. You’re Paramount Plus. Plus what? I guess we’re all gonna find out pretty soon.” (18:52)

• Collins, on Trump’s media attacks:

  “I don’t think any woman...I think a lot of women can identify with that moment and that feeling.” (25:01)

• On press and public accountability:

  “All they want is accountability. It’s not political for them. It’s personal.” (32:13)

• Colbert, on the absurdity of “alternative facts”:

  “Alternative facts haven’t changed, have they?”
  Collins: “There aren’t alternative facts, there’s facts and that’s it.” (23:10)

---

Key Timestamps

• 00:50–06:00 – Monologue: holidays, Fire Horse year, Trump approval, tunnel, Trump/Epstein, Royal Family, U.S. consequence gaps
• 12:35–18:52 – FCC “equal time” ordeal, CBS corporate response, Colbert’s on-air frustration with in-house legal teams
• 20:17–23:42 – Kaitlan Collins: White House press, “second season” analogy, journalistic mission, truth in the age of “alternative facts”
• 23:42–26:03 – Trump attacks Collins at presser, women in media, personal aftermath
• 26:03–27:32 – FCC as a political cudgel, chilling effect on press freedom
• 29:18–32:13 – Epstein files: public interest, press doing the DOJ’s job, Massie’s live unredaction, survivors’ demand for justice
• 33:23–36:41 – Who Wants to Be a Millionaire loss, Reese’s “plug” trivia, charity, office prank

---

Summary: Tone, Style, and Utility

The episode is fast-paced, mixing Colbert’s sharp wit with earnest discussion of serious legal and ethical topics in media. Collins’ clear-eyed, grounded style provides a counterpoint to Colbert's satire, offering both critical perspective on political reporting and some much-needed comic relief around behind-the-scenes TV mishaps.

For listeners: This episode is a canny blend of comedy and journalism, packed with nuanced explanation of how regulatory changes, media ownership, and political power plays shape what you see and hear. Kaitlan Collins’ segments shed rare light on life in the White House press corps and personal fallout of standing up to high-level attacks.

If you skipped the episode: You’ll come away with a strong sense of the dilemmas facing today's journalists, how the “equal time” rule is being wielded (and warped) in the current political era, and the importance of accountability for both press institutions and powerful individuals. Lighter stories (like losing a trivia show for charity) make the tough moments go down smoother, while memorable quips and real behind-the-curtain insights showcase Colbert and Collins at their best.

Transcript

[Stephen Colbert]

Hey, Sal.

[Hank]

Hank.

[Stephen Colbert]

What's going on? We haven't worked a case in years. I just bought my car at Carvana. And it was so easy. Too easy. Think something's up? You tell me. They got thousands of options, found a great car at a great price, and it got delivered the next day. It sounds like Carvana just makes it easy to buy your car, Hank. Yeah, you're right. Case closed.

[Commercial Announcer]

Buy your car today on Carvana. Delivery fees may apply. Why have I asked my H Vac guy I found on angie.com to change my grandpa's trachea tube? I was so amazed at how he replaced our air ducts. I knew I could trust him to change Pop Pop's tube.

[Stephen Colbert]

I think we should call a Dr. Angie.

[Commercial Announcer]

The one you trust to find the ones you trust. Find pros for all your home [e-mail].

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Late Show. I'm your host, Stephen Colbert. Ladies and gentleme. Happy Lunar New Year, everybody. Today marks the first day of the year of the Fire Horse. Or as my graphics department insists on calling it, Fire Horse. They made the graphic weeks ago, and if we don't use it, it would just break their little hearts. But it's not just Lunar New Year. Today is packed with holidays. It's also Mardi Gras, the beginning of Ramadan, and at midnight, Lent. Rarely, rarely do so many holidays converge, let alone on Taco Tuesday. Which is why. Which is why tonight, ladies and gentlemen, I am declaring the first official Mardi Gras. Mandana Taco Lent Day. Mardi Gras. I forgot about this part. Is this new? It was. I was not aware of the second graphic. So what can we look forward to this year of the Fire Horse? According to one expert, Be on the lookout for heightened tensions in already heated relationships. You know what that means? More hockey players are going to bang, by the way. By the way, when does that start in the Olympics? Because I've been watching, and so far it's all just hockey. We're waiting for the high sticking now. Last night, the Chinese government broadcast their official spring festival gala and unveiled some brand new humanoid robots. Wow. Well, after seeing that, I just want to make a quick announcement. Robots, I surrender. If you spare me and your technological uprising, I will proudly serve as your bio batteries. I just want a good goo pod and a subscription to Britbox. It could be. I'm hearing how you sound. Okay. Could be a tough year of the Fire Horse. Because according to a new Gallup poll, Americans are less hopeful than ever, and optimism is at A record low, with 59% of respondents saying that they were expecting a high quality of life in five years. Okay, over 50% sounds good. But for years now, the optimism number held steady at 69%. Yeah, back then, the future looked nice. Gallup also. I don't know what that means. I don't really know what that means. Gallup also revealed that the president's approval rating has dropped to a new second term low of 36%. 36%. It's hard to imagine that could get much lower, but I'm optimistic. One reason, one reason, one reason his approval numbers might be cratering is Trump's pathological need to slap his name in gold on everything. And reportedly, he's got a new scheme. Last year, Trump suspended funding for a $16 billion rail tunnel between New York City and New Jersey. How dare you? You gotta be quicker with the booze, baby. Now, how dare you. Nobody gets a mulligan. The good people of this city could have finally enjoyed a new tunnel for about 30 seconds, until it smelled like a thousand rats, had an orgy and died in there, reportedly. You okay? Reportedly, in a recent meeting with Chuck Schumer, Trump suggested that he would release the funds in exchange for renaming Washington Dulles International Airport and Penn Station after him. Uh, New Yorkers will not be forced to commute to Trump Station. But I do have a counter offer. Mr. President, how would you feel about the Trump Port Authority Bus Terminal men's room, stall number three, The one without the door or toilet. But there are some tributes to Trump that he doesn't want. You see, every president gets an official portrait when they leave office. Bill Clinton had this mosaic style painting by Chuck Close. And Barack Obama's official portrait was painted by Kehinde Wiley based on his earlier work, Homer Disappearing into Hedges. Trump. Trump already got one. He got one, right? He got one at the end of his first term, which was never unveiled. And reportedly, Trump now wants the Smithsonian to create a different official portrait of him. You know what? No, no. It could be easy. He could just do it himself. Just press his face against the canvas and you'd get the bronzer of Turin. According to a White House spokesperson, President Trump looks forward to seeing the completion of a portrait that will encapsulate both his 45th and 47th presidential terms. And is this true? I'm told we have a preview of that portrait. Thank you. That's good. That's good. That portrait's not really going to matter because there's only one thing Trump's ever going to be remembered for. And that's the Epstein files. Yesterday he was asked about them on Air Force One and he made this bizarre declaration.

[Donald Trump]

I have nothing to hide. I've been exonerated. I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. They went in hoping that they'd find it and found just the opposite. I've been totally exonerated.

[Stephen Colbert]

Apparently he does not know the meaning of the word exonerated or totally or I've been. One of the things that's so frustrating about this is that there are so few consequences for Epstein's pervert pals, at least over here in America. Cuz while folks in Trump's circle are just skating away, it's completely different. Across the pond, for instance, the Epstein fallout has hit the British Royal family. Andrew was stripped of his prince title and was forced to move out of the Royal Lodge and now and now has to live at Wood Farm on the Sandringham estate. You hear that, pedophiles? You keep it up, you get a five bedroom cottage max and no more than 10 show horses. He's not alone. The scandal has also taken down former British Ambassador to the United States, Peter Mendelssohn, former Duchess Sarah Ferguson, former Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Morgan McSweeney, the Right Honorable Wallace of Gromit and former Chancellor of the Exchequer Ebenezer Ill. Meet jumbleteeth. But good man. But here in America, we're not seeing any politicians going down, just academics and business folks like Tom Pritzker, who announced his retirement as executive chair of Hyatt Hotels. And after it came out that he helped arrange reservations for a woman traveling through Asia who was reportedly a girlfriend of Epstein's. When Pritzker asked what she was doing, she wrote, going to try to find a new girlfriend for Jeffrey. Pritzker replied, smiley face. May the force be with you. Come on, man, don't pull Star wars into this. Although I do want to point out Alan Dershowitz insists he was given a massage by an adult Yoda. Oh, that sound means it's time for a Kristi Noem update. Allegedly.

[Donald Trump]

Work.

[Stephen Colbert]

I got something. I got a little something. Allegedly. Allegedly. Now, one of the worst kept alleged secrets in Washington is the alleged affair between the alleged Kristi Noem and her subordinate Corey Lewandowski. Or as they're known by their celebrity couple name a lot. Does that work? That works. A lot of this rumored affair is rumored to be taking place on government planes. Well, according to a report in the Wall Street Journal, Noem had to switch planes due to Mechanical issues. And afterwards, Lewandowski fired the pilot because Noem's blanket was left behind on the first plane. And I'm told we have footage of Noem's reaction when she learned the news. My blanket.

[Donald Trump]

My blue blanket.

[Stephen Colbert]

Give me my blue blanket. She looks good. She looks really good. Little freshen up. Normally, that sort of abuse of power would raise some eyebrows, but Noem had hers permanently raised years ago. Also, also, and this part is just fun, Joe. This part's just fun. That pilot, they had to rehire him upon realizing that there was no one else to fly the party home. Do you really want. Do you really want to get on a plane being flown by the guy you just fired for the stupidest possible reason? Folks, this is your captain speaking. I have turned off the fasten seatbelt sign, so feel free to walk around the cabin with a scalding hot drink and barrel roll. In even more titillating news, we are learning about the existence of erotic poetry written by California gubernatorial candidate Eric Swalwell. That explains his campaign slogan, Swalwell 2026 My loins burn to. We haven't had political erotic crossovers like this since Reagan said this. Mr. Gorbachev, tear down these pants. The Gipper. Now, I want to make clear, none of this erotic poetry is recent. Swalwell published these poems when he was a 19 year old college student writing for a literary magazine called the Lyricist and describes two partners meeting atop a hotel before having formless and magnificent sex. Formless? Congressman, it's possible you had sex with a ghost. Let me ask you this, let me ask you this. Did they help you throw a pot at any point? The poem continues. While I screamed, she bent her lips to mine, kissing till veins imploded and exploded. I have been kissing wrong. We got a great show for you tonight. More Late show pod show after this. Folks, there's another big story today that I never got to over in my monologue. And it's me. Hang in there, buddy. You see, here's what happened. Here's what happened, folks. Last night I talked to Texas Senate candidate James Tallarico, but it wasn't on the show. It wasn't on the show. We put the interview on our YouTube channel because of something called the equal time rule. And that rule says that if a show on broadcast television has a qualified candidate on during an election, they have to offer equal time to all that candidate's opponents. It's a pretty famous rule. But here's the thing. There has long been a very famous exception to that rule. And that exception included talk shows, interviews with politicians. We looked and we can't find one example of this rule being enforced for any talk show interview. Not only for my entire late night career, but for anyone's late night career going back to the 1960s. But on January 21st, we heard from FCC chairman Brendan Carr, seen here testifying how to purple a nerple. Carr. He issued a letter saying he was thinking about getting rid of that talk show exception. He had not gotten rid of it yet, but CBS generously did it for him and told me no, told me unilaterally that I had to abide by the equal time rules. Something I have never been asked to do for an interview in the 21 years of this job. Now, that decision, I want to be clear, is their right, just like I have the right to talk about their decision on air last night.

[Hank]

All right.

[Stephen Colbert]

Last night I did. And people who interview politicians for a living noticed Stephen Colbert making headlines. Stephen Colbert.

[Commercial Announcer]

Stephen Colbert.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Stephen Colbert.

[Stephen Colbert]

Stephen Colbert. Wow. Everyone's talking about this Stephen Colbert fella. You know, I think. You know what? I think. Somebody that popular should get their own talk show. Anyway, anyway, I sent my piece last night. We made some jokes. It's what they pay me for. And I was ready to let the whole thing go until a few hours ago when my group chat blowed up. Because without ever talking to me, the corporation put out this press release, this statement. Now this is a surprisingly small piece of paper considering how many butts it's trying to cover in it. They say the Late show was not prohibited by CBS from broadcasting the interview with Representative James Telleri. The show has provided legal guidance that the broadcast could trigger the FCC equal time rule for two other candidates, including Representative Jasmine Crockett, and presented options for how the equal time for other candidates could be fulfilled. The Late show decided to present the interview through its YouTube channel with on air promotion on the broadcast rather than potentially providing the equal time options. Now, clearly this statement was written by and I'm guessing four lawyers. Now, I'm not a lawyer and I don't want to tell them how to do their jobs, but since they seem intent on telling me how to do mine. Here we go, fellas. Fellas, I am well aware that we can book other guests. I didn't need to be presented with that option. I've had Jasmine Crockett on my show twice. I could prove that to you. I could prove that to you. But the network won't let me show you her picture without including her opponents. So I'll have to show you this picture of Donald Trump and Jeffrey Epstein instead. They made me do it. I didn't want to. So we obeyed our network and put the interview on YouTube. We where it's gotten millions of views. And I can see why. Talarico is an interesting guy. I don't know if he should be the senator, but it was a good discussion. I wish we could have put it on the show where no one would have watched it. But here's where I do want to tell the lawyers how to do their jobs. They know damn well that every word of my script last night was approved by CBS's lawyers, who, for the record, approve every script that goes on the air, whether it's about equal time or this image of frogs having sex. That's a true story, but for another time, very specifically. And this is never, in fact, between the monologue I did last night and before I did the second act talking about this issue, I had to go backstage. I got called backstage to get more notes from these lawyers, something that had never, ever happened before. And they told us the language they wanted me to use to describe that equal time exception. And I used that language. So I don't know what this is about. For the record, I'm not even mad. I really don't want an adversarial relationship with a network. I've never had one. As I said last night in my interview with James Tallarico. Check it out, it's on YouTube. It's pretty good. I said to him, I am grateful to have worked for CBS for the last 11 years and worked with George and David and Amy and everyone at the network. The Sheldons of every age, the Matlocks of every sex. I'm just so surprised that this giant global corporation would not stand up to these bullies. Come on, you're Paramount.

[Hank]

No.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, no, you're more than that. You're Paramount. Plus. Plus what? I guess we're all going to find out pretty soon. And for the lawyers to release this without even talking to me is really surprising. I don't even know what to do with this crap. Hold on. We'll be back with Kaitlan Collins. Well, the holidays have come and gone once again, but if you've forgotten to get that special someone in your life a gift. Well, Mint Mobile is extending their holiday offer of half off unlimited wireless. So here's the idea. You get it now, you call it an early present for next year. What do you have to lose? Give it a [e-mail] Switch limited time.

[Commercial Announcer]

50% off regular price for new customers. Upfront payment required $45 for three months, $90 for six months or $180 for 12 month plan taxes and fees. Extra speeds may slow after 50 gigabytes per month when network is busy see Terms.

[Stephen Colbert]

Welcome back, ladies and gentlemen. My first guest is the chief White House correspondent and anchor of the Source with Kaitlan Collins on cnn. Please welcome back to the Late Show, Kaitlan Collins.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Nice and calm around here.

[Stephen Colbert]

It is nice and calm around here. Nothing going on.

[Kaitlan Collins]

It sounds like covering a day at the White House, like you never know what's gonna happen next.

[Stephen Colbert]

No, I want to get into that in just a moment, but this isn't the first time we've spoken. But since the last time we spoke, you're now doing double duty at cnc.

[Kaitlan Collins]

I got a second job since I was last year.

[Stephen Colbert]

You are chief White House correspondent and anchor of the Source at the same time. What, what's it like covering the White House these days? Cuz you did the first, you did the first Trump term, then you had sort of the interim, interim period of the Biden years. Yeah, there's been a lot of turnover. The White House has done a lot of turnover on who the press corps is in the White House. And I'm just curious, what's the vibe like for an average press conference there?

[Kaitlan Collins]

It's so different and so similar at the same time. And because I mean, I just covering the Trump White House was the first White House I had ever covered. And so a lot of people had been there for decades and you know, they were kind of, you know, used to how different presidencies operated, Republican or Democrat. And like the first Trump White House was like it totally blew all of that up. And so it's familiar to that still in the same, but it's like it is like a second season of a television show. Like it's like different characters and different plot lines except it's real and it's the president and it's the White House. And so as a reporter, I love it. I love my job. I love covering the administration. I really enjoy doing that and being there every single day. And it's meaningful to me to be back at the White House because I love the White House press corps. I love being there. I think it's really meaningful. And so I don't have any free time. But other than that, it's great free time.

[Stephen Colbert]

When you're older now, during Trump's first administration, one of the sort of positions that CNN marked out for themselves was just acknowledging reality because there was this expression, it was, you know, part of the expression. There was this epistemological crisis in government where what is real, what is not, can things be known. And there were things like those, this isn't Apple ads that CN which is like this is an apple. People might say it's a banana, but it's an apple. How are things over there? What's the attitude over there at CNN about the renewed challenge of keeping your feet on the dry land of what really is?

[Kaitlan Collins]

Well, and those ads came out when we were in an era of alternative facts and you know, people were adjusting to statements like that coming from some of the highest ranking officials in the White House, Kellyanne Conway, when she said that. And I think the mission is still the same though, which is because the.

[Stephen Colbert]

Alternative facts haven't changed, have they?

[Kaitlan Collins]

Were still, they're still just facts and.

[Stephen Colbert]

Alternative facts and we can't.

[Kaitlan Collins]

But there aren't alternative facts, there's facts and that's it.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, that's a fact.

[Kaitlan Collins]

So I think the mission though is the same. I think it's holding people, powerful people, taxpayer funded officials to account. It's asking tough questions, it's covering the stories, it's making people uncomfortable. And I think that that should happen whether it's a Republican in the White House or a Democrat. I think anyone who's in that position should face tough questions. And so I think the mission is the same for my colleagues and for myself.

[Stephen Colbert]

Certainly, absolutely. But it's not even tough questions sometimes. It's just a perfectly reasonable question. For instance, two weeks ago, there was a moment between you and the President. Got a little coverage. We have a clip.

[Kaitlan Collins]

What would you say to the survivors who feel like they haven't gotten justice?

[Donald Trump]

Oh, the worst reporter. No one to see. CNN has no ratings because of people like you. You know, she's a young woman. I don't think I've ever seen you smile. I've known you for 10 years. I don't think I've ever seen a smile.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Well, I'm asking you about survivors of.

[Donald Trump]

Jeffrey Epstein because, you know, you're not telling the truth and you're, you're a very dishonest organization and they should be ashamed of you.

[Stephen Colbert]

Now you have covered the president, you've covered the president for 10 years, as you said. So you suspect what he's like. You know, did that one surprise you?

[Kaitlan Collins]

I don't think it surprised me in the moment of the attack. I mean, the President has called me a Lot of names. He's gone after me and tried to deflect from the questions that we're asking. But in that moment, you know, he is someone who is often politically savvy or tied in with what his base wants. In that moment, I was thinking, you know, if he had said that to, in response to a different question, I think it would have had a different reaction. I mean, I don't think any woman, I think a lot of women can identify with that moment and that feeling.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes.

[Kaitlan Collins]

But I think it was actually the cor that is what generated so many headlines out of that, because my question was about sexual assault survivors and it wasn't even accusatory of the President. It was what these women, many of whom I've interviewed and had on my show, often have said to me, and I don't think it's a controversial opinion, that you shouldn't smile when you're asking questions about a sex trafficker and sexual assault victims.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's reasonable. That's reasonable. But why? I'm just curious.

[Kaitlan Collins]

I will say, though, that ever since that everyone has been sending me pictures of me smiling. Like, if it's selfies I've taken with someone or like my dad was sending me pictures of me smiling as, like a 10 year old. Like, it's like I've been inundated with photos showing that I do indeed smile when it's appropriate.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yes, lovely smile. Lovely smile. Back in November, the President suggested that FCC chair Brendan CARR look into ABC's broadcasting license after Mary Bruce asked questions that he didn't like.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Yeah.

[Stephen Colbert]

And as a journalist, what do you make of 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 in his first term. It's a way that he's wielding his power so differently in this second term.

[Stephen Colbert]

Yeah, I think that sort of the chains are off.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Yeah. Ever since Brendan Carr, I mean, was in this position, I don't think anything that he's done is really that surprising if you've been covering Trump and paying attention. And so I think, you know, the question is how far he goes on his threats. Does he follow through? Does he even need to follow through? Or does just making the threat in and of itself already caused the impact?

[Stephen Colbert]

For instance, if you threaten the network and then they might just do it for you without actually, you know, making a ruling of any kind.

[Kaitlan Collins]

And I think it's actually a really, a really slippery slope because I think that you've seen some people on the right cheering this and saying, well, that's what we want Brendan Carr to do. So I think that they don't want a Democratic administration saying that right wing talk radio must give equal time to Democrats or to see that moment. And so for me personally on our show, I have Democrats and Republicans on. I want to know what everyone's 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.

[Stephen Colbert]

Good luck. We have to take a quick break. We're right back with more Kaitlan Collins, everybody.

[Hank]

When winter days are shorter and schedules are packed, it's easy for kids to lose focus. IXL turns that winter slump into momentum with a simple, stress free way to keep skills sharp and stay engaged without adding pressure. IXL is an award winning online learning platform that helps kids truly understand what they're learning across math, language arts, science and social studies from Pre K through 12th grade. With personalized practice, instant feedback, clear explanations and progress tracking, it's easy to fit into even the busiest week. IXL is used in 96 of the top 100 school districts in the U.S. make an impact on your child's learning. Get IXL now and listeners can get an exclusive 20% off IXL membership when they sign up today at ixllearning.com audio Visit ixllearning.com audio to get the most effective learning program out there at the best price.

[Stephen Colbert]

We heard you. Nine years of bring back the snack wrap and you've won. But maybe you should have asked for more. Say hello to the Hot Honey snack wrap. Now you've really won. Go to McDonald's and get it while you can.

[Commercial Announcer]

Starting a business can seem like a daunting task unless you have a partner like Shopify. They have the tools you need to start and grow your business. From designing a website to marketing to selling and beyond, Shopify can help with everything you need. There's a reason millions of companies like Mattel, Heinz and Allbirds continue to trust and use them. With Shopify on your side, turn your big business idea into sign up for your $1 per month [e-mail] specialoffer.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's CNN's Kaitlin Collins. Why do you think the American public is not as ready to turn the page on the Epstein files as the president suggests they should be?

[Kaitlan Collins]

And the press secretary said last week during a briefing that the country it's time to move on that is not what we hear from people. And I think it's a bipartisan issue. It's Republicans and Democrats alike who want answers. And really what they want is accountability here. And to see Anyone, anyone.

[Stephen Colbert]

Can I do a little follow up on that for just a second here? Is that. Isn't it weird that the Justice Department has all this information and yet they're saying that individual people out there can pour through it and they can point out things to the Justice Department if they would like, but they've got all the information, and yet they're not prosecuting anyone. It's almost. They're saying, press, you do our job.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Yeah.

[Hank]

Or.

[Kaitlan Collins]

And lawyers are going through this, obviously, and lawmakers can go and look at the documents themselves. But we had this surreal moment on my show last week where Thomas Massie, one of the Republicans from Kentucky who wrote this bill, it's a pretty short law that you can go and read that the president was obviously had his hand forced to sign. He found a name that was redacted, that he looked up where he could see where it was unredacted, and he said it shouldn't be redacted on our show. About 20 minutes before he came on, he had tweeted it out, and Todd Blanche, the deputy attorney general, then, quote, tweeted it and unredacted the name. And Thomas Massie found out in real time on this show, and he pointed it out to the attorney general last week, and she was saying, well, we corrected it. But his point was, had he not pointed it out, would it have been unredacted? And the point, and I think your point is great, that it's not just Republicans. This is not a political issue they've tried to make, to say that anyone who was in that position of power or abused these women and underage girls, many of them at the time, that they should be brought to account and held to have justice for these women.

[Stephen Colbert]

It seems like the lowest bar we can cross as a society is to hold people who traffic children to account, no matter what their political persuasion is.

[Commercial Announcer]

Yeah.

[Kaitlan Collins]

It's not a controversial position.

[Stephen Colbert]

No.

[Kaitlan Collins]

And I think, you know, we've interviewed so many of these women and, and they're powerful and this has shaped their lives. I mean, a lot of them are adults now, but many of them were so incredibly young when this happened. And there was one survivor who said, gave this quote, I believe, to the Miami Herald and said that Jeffrey Epstein went after women that he thought no one would care about and that no one would believe. And she said, and he was right. And it worked. And to see these women, who for decades were ignored by the FBI or attorneys or prosecutors, finally feel that they have some semblance of that, I think is really powerful. I mean, these women, all they want is accountability. It's not political for them. It's personal.

[Hank]

One thing.

[Stephen Colbert]

Can you explain? You may or may not know the answer to this, but we know that in the other two and a half million pages or so, or we're led to believe in the other two and a half million pages or so are the folks FBI statements that these women gave about the men who abused them. And the women know that those statements are in there. And the women know what they said. Why can't they say, hey, this is in there. These are the names of the men. What is the reason that they can't do that?

[Kaitlan Collins]

Well, it's different for different women. And obviously, I don't want to speak for them. But what we've heard is that essentially, one, they're worried about lawsuits. That's why so many of these lawmakers who are. Who are revealing names or saying what they are, are doing so, because they're protected by doing so in Congress on the House floor. But secondly, some of the women that we've spoken with, they don't feel that it's on them to do this. It's on the Justice Department and the people who are in power to do this and to handle this.

[Stephen Colbert]

Which gets back to, why is the Justice Department making somebody else do their work?

[Kaitlan Collins]

It's a great question.

[Stephen Colbert]

Thank you. Now, I want to get serious here for a second. You were on who Wants to Be a Millionaire?

[Kaitlan Collins]

Oh, with Jake Tapper. That's a sensitive subject.

[Stephen Colbert]

With Jake Tapper. For charity.

[Kaitlan Collins]

But can I tell you, I was more nervous to be on that show than, like, going into a press conference or a press briefing. I was, like, studying. I was having ChatGPT create study guides for how to be on who Wants to Be a Millionaire. I didn't really know what I was asking.

[Stephen Colbert]

Well, I can imagine why you'd be nervous. Because the host is Jimmy Kimmel and he's a monster.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Actually, I was nervous cause I'm a huge who Wants to Be a Millionaire fan, and I used to watch it all the time as a child, and I even had, like, a handheld game where I would play who Wants to.

[Stephen Colbert]

Be a Millionaire back in the Regis days.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Yeah, I wanted to be who Wants to Be a Millionaire when I was like, nine years old. Like, this was big for me.

[Stephen Colbert]

And how Far did you guys get?

[Kaitlan Collins]

So we made it up to the upper echelon and to the point where we got a little too confident because we were so worried at the beginning that we'd fall on like an easy question or a political question. I was like, memorizing all the president in order again, just in case. I don't know. I was like, on my flight over, the flight attendant was like, are you good? Cause I'm like sitting there writing out every president. And she was like, what's happening? But we were just nervous on doing it. We made it to, I think 250,000, which it's like that half a million. Seven fifty.

[Stephen Colbert]

That's not too shabby. What knocked you out?

[Kaitlan Collins]

It was a question about Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. And my only redeeming feeling since then is I will ask this question to people when they are like, what happened? And so I'll play the game with them, basically, and I give them the 50.

[Stephen Colbert]

50.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Do you know the answer?

[Stephen Colbert]

I don't know the answer.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Okay. So the question was, and they word it a little strangely the further you get along. So then it like throws you off. Which I was ready for because my study guides helped. But the question was, what does Hershey's call the peanut butter at the center of a Reese's Peanut Butter cup? You have four options. Plug, pad, squirt, glob.

[Stephen Colbert]

It's not squirt or glob. And plug sounds unattractive. So I will say pad.

[Kaitlan Collins]

Well, you would be wrong. And the shock that Jake and I felt in that moment.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did you say pad?

[Kaitlan Collins]

We answered pad. We were a little torn. We thought maybe it was plug, but we weren't really sure because we agreed. Why would a company say we knew it wasn't squirt or glob? We also did phone a friend. None of our lifelines were helping us. And the thing is, it's over so suddenly that you're devastated kind of in the moment. And then, you know, and my charity, all the winnings go to charity. Mine was for a dog based foster group here in New York, Muddy Paws, which I love. And I didn't want to let them down, you know.

[Stephen Colbert]

Oh, did they get anything?

[Kaitlan Collins]

They did, they did. They got half of our. They split. Half went to Jake's charity and half went to mine. But that was really it because they had like a watch party. And I was like, oh, I don't want them to see that. I lost on their Reese's question.

[Stephen Colbert]

Wow.

[Kaitlan Collins]

But the biggest.

[Stephen Colbert]

Did they let the dogs watch.

[Kaitlan Collins]

I don't know if the dogs watched. I don't know if the dogs wanted to watch. The biggest indignity, though, is I have a colleague, Phil, who when I came back to work had filled my office with Reese's cups and the word plug everywhere. And he was like, it's obviously plugged in. Anyway, I'll be back on who Wants to Be a Millionaire one day and I'll let you guys know how it goes.

[Stephen Colbert]

Caitlin, thanks so much for being here. The Source with Kaitlan Collins airs weeknights on cnn. It's Kaitlan Collins, everybody. Thank you for listening to the Late Show Pod show with Stephen Colbert. Just one more thing. If you want to see more of me, come to The Late Show YouTube channel for more clips and exclusives.

[Commercial Announcer]

This precedence day. Upgrade the look of your home without breaking your budget. Save up to 50% site wide on new window [e-mail] blinds.com makes it easy with free virtual consultations on your schedule and samples delivered to your door fast and free. With over 25 million windows covered and a 100% satisfaction guarantee, you can count on blinds.com to deliver results you'll love.

Shop up to 50% off site wide plus a free professional measure during the President's Day mega sale happening right [e-mail] terms apply. Pluto TV. We're celebrating black History Month with our free curated collection of black entertainment. No ifs, ands or buts about catch award winning films like Dreamgirls, Monster's Ball and Selma.

[Stephen Colbert]

We must make a massive demonstration.

[Commercial Announcer]

Iconic hits like School Days and Set It Off. Plus full seasons of shows like Tyler Perry's Sisters and Power. I got you it star studded brilliant black entertainment. And it's all free. It's getting good this month and always on Pluto TV streamed now. Hey, never.