Meet Kaitlan Collins, the CNN White House correspondent & her rise to fame

Kaitlan Collins has quickly risen through the ranks of American journalism, becoming one of CNN’s most respected figures. From her beginnings at The Daily Caller to serving as CNN's chief White House Correspondent and primetime show anchor, Collins' journey demonstrates her fearless reporting and journalistic integrity.

Key takeaways

• Kaitlan Collins works for CNN as their chief White House Correspondent and is the anchor of The Source with Kaitlan Collins.
• She began her career at The Daily Caller as an entertainment reporter before transitioning to being their White House Correspondent.
• Collins started working at CNN in 2017.
• She was just 28 years old when she was named CNN’s chief White House Correspondent—the youngest in the network’s history.
• Kaitlan Collins was rumoured to be dating Republican entrepreneur and pharmacist Will Douglas (2015 to 2017).

Kaitlan Collins' profile summary

Kaitlan Collins' biography

Kaitlan Collins is a prominent journalist on CNN. She was born on 7 April 1992 in Prattville, Alabama, United States of America, and is 33 years old as of 2025.

Kaitlan Collins grew up in a politically neutral household. Her father, Jeff Collins Sr., was a mortgage banker, while her mother, Tina Collins, managed the home. She has four siblings: Brayden, Kelsey, Annalise, and Cole.

Collins attended Prattville High School before enrolling at the University of Alabama, where she began studying Chemistry. She later switched to journalism and political science and received a degree in 2014. During college, Kaitlan was a member of the Alpha Phi sorority.

Kaitlan Collins’ career journey: From reporter to primetime anchor

After graduating, Collins relocated to Washington, D.C., and in June 2014, he was hired as an entertainment reporter at The Daily Caller. Her role evolved swiftly, and by January 2017, she was appointed the White House correspondent.

Kaitlan Collins' CNN career journey

In July 2017, Collins joined CNN as a White House correspondent. Her tenure was marked by several high-profile incidents, including one in July 2018 when she was barred from attending a White House press event after persistently questioning President Trump about Michael Cohen and Vladimir Putin.

In an interview with InStyle, Collins was asked what provoked that move from the White House, and she remarked:

He wants to intimidate and bully [the press], so you don't ask him what he doesn't want to get asked about. You have to remember to focus on the question and get an answer. Being banned by him really prepared me for that.

In January 2021, at just 28 years old, Collins was named CNN’s Chief White House Correspondent—the youngest in the network’s history. Her work included covering both the Trump and Biden administrations, where she broke many stories on policy shifts and staff changes.

In September 2022, CNN announced that Kaitlan would co-anchor CNN This Morning, marking the end of her tenure as chief White House correspondent.

Primetime anchor and an expanded role

In May 2023, Collins moderated a live CNN Republican Presidential Town Hall with President Trump, his first town hall-style event of the 2024 campaign.

Her performance was praised for her poise and incisive questions. Consequently, she was appointed the anchor of The Source with Kaitlan Collins, a primetime show that airs weeknights at 9 p.m. ET.

On The Source, Collins has conducted exclusive interviews with influential leaders in politics, including Secretary Hillary Clinton, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Following Trump's reelection in November 2024, CNN announced that Collins would resume as chief White House Correspondent while continuing to anchor her prime-time show.

Kaitlan Collins' awards and recognitions

Kaitlan's contributions to journalism have been recognised with several accolades. In 2019, she was named to Forbes '30 Under 30: Media list and received an Emmy for her work on CNN's coverage of Russia's invasion of Ukraine in 2023.

In late 2024, GALECA: The Society of LGBTQ Entertainment Critics named her one of America's 10 best TV news journalists, praising her fact-checking and journalistic integrity.

Is Kaitlan Collins married?

As of 2025, the American journalist is unmarried and prefers to keep details of her personal life, especially romantic relationships, private.

Does Kaitlan Collins have a boyfriend?

Collins is presumably single at the time of writing. She has also managed to keep her love life under wraps for some time. However, she was rumoured to be dating Republican entrepreneur and pharmacist Will Douglas in 2015.

They met while she was interning in Washington, D.C., and split in 2017. Douglas owns a chain of pharmacies in Texas and ran unsuccessfully for state office in 2019.

FAQs

1. Who is Kaitlan Collins? She is an American journalist who serves as CNN's chief White House Correspondent and primetime anchor.
2. What is Kaitlan Collins' salary at CNN? Her dual title earns her a reported $3 million annual salary.
3. How old is Kaitlan Collins? The journalist is 33 years old as of 2025. She was born on 7 April 1992.
4. Where did Kaitlan Collins grow up? She grew up in Prattville, Alabama, United States of America.
5. How did Kaitlan Collins become famous? After graduating, she was hired by The Daily Caller and eventually caught the attention of CNN after covering the 2016 presidential election.
6. What is Kaitlan Collins' relationship with her boyfriend? The primetime anchor dated Will Douglas from 2015 and split up in 2017.
7. What is Kaitlan Collins' height? The journalist is 5'7" (170 cm) tall.

Kaitlan Collins is a celebrated American journalist who works for CNN as their chief White House Correspondent and anchors The Source with Kaitlan Collins, a primetime show. Her career trajectory from an entertainment reporter to the forefront of national journalism inspires aspiring journalists.

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