KAITLAN Collins has been an on-air reporter for CNN since 2017 and served as the cable network's chief White House correspondent until 2022.
She was named one of Mediaite's 50 Most Influential People in News Media from 2018 through 2020.
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Who is CNN anchor Kaitlan Collins?
Kaitlan Collins was born on April 7, 1992, and grew up in rural Prattville, Alabama.
The 31-year-old hadn't considered becoming a journalist and came from a family that only followed local news.
She told InStyle that she "had a really apolitical upbringing."
She added: "I think the most national news show that we watched wasThe Today Show."
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It wasn't until she attended the University of Alabama that she discovered her love of writing.
First starting out as a chemistry major, Collins quickly realized she was not passionate about the subject and switched to journalism.
Speaking of her thought process, she told the outlet: "I've always been a big reader, I like to write, maybe I should try my hand at this."
Collins graduated from her university with a degree in political science and journalism and got her first job as an entertainment reporter for The Daily Caller — a right-wing news and opinion website.
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When she took the position, she said she hadn't heard of the outlet, but said: "I needed a job... and you have to start somewhere."
When former President Donald Trump was elected to office in 2016, Collins was directed to become the White House correspondent.
She said she was unprepared for an interviewee like Trump and had to hit the ground running and "grow a backbone."
Since then, Collins has continued to cover the White House, quickly advancing from The Daily Caller to become the youngest woman to report for CNN.
How long has Kaitlan Collins been on CNN?
Collins hit the ground running as she reported on the Trump Administration, which she referenced as "being Baptized by fire."
She said she had no experience with on-air reporting. She didn't know how to put on a mic or wear an earpiece, and interviewing Trump was a constant battle.
"[Trump] wants to intimidate and bully [the press] so you don't ask him what he doesn't want to get asked about," she told InStyle.
Collins added: "If you're scared of adversity, confront it head-on," and that's what she did.
Throughout 2016, she continued to report on the White House and was eventually invited to speak on CNN.
"It was pretty rare for a Daily Caller reporter to be invited on CNN, and I knew that at the time and felt very grateful that they didn’t care about that," Collins told Forbes.
"They just saw me as a reporter and wanted me to come on because they thought I asked good questions in the briefings.”
When she met then-CNN President Jeff Zucker at a White House correspondents event in 2017, she thanked him for giving her the opportunity to be on CNN, but was soon given much more.
Collins said: "... Just from that meeting, it turned into some interviews, and a month later, they hired me and brought me onto the White House team."
After joining the team in 2017, Collins worked her way up to become the chief White House correspondent.
She held that role until CNN Chief Executive Chris Licht announced Collins would be stepping down to host a new CNN morning primetime show in September 2022 alongside Don Lemon and Poppy Harlow.
On October 12, 2022, the network announced that the morning show would be namedCNN This Morning and would take the place of New Day, which previously filled the 6 a.m. to 9 a.m. EST time slot.
In order to take on her new role, Collins had to vacate her title as the chief White House correspondent, but nonetheless, she said she was "thrilled to start this new adventure," CNN reported.
However, in April 2023, it was revealed that Lemon was fired from his CNN hosting duties and it was rumored that Collins may be offered a new contract by the network to serve as the newest host of the 9 p.m. primetime hour.
On May 17, 2023, CNN CEO Chris Licht confirmed the news, stating Collins would "showcase why she’s one of the top reporters and interviewers in the game."
With Collins' new gig, the news reporter left CNN This Morning.
She released a statement expressing her gratitude for this next chapter in her life.
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"I’m grateful and excited to join CNN’s primetime lineup for a new show that will feature sharp interviews, fresh reporting and thoughtful conversations on the top stories that are driving the news cycle," the news reporter stated.
"I’m so thankful for my friend and co-anchor Poppy and will be cheering on the CNN This Morning team every day."
The accomplished anchor began hosting The Source with Kaitlan Collins in July 2023.
The show airs weeknights at 9 p.m. on CNN.
Its description states: "Kaitlan Collins goes straight to the source for the best reporting on the day's biggest stories."
As CNN Politics reported, Collins is set to moderate Republican presidential candidate Ron DeSantis' CNN town hall in Iowa on January 4, 2024, at 9 p.m. EST.
On May 10, 2023, Collins moderated CNN's town hall forum inNew Hampshire.
The event marked Trump’s first major television event of the 2024 presidential campaign and came just a day after he was found liable for sexually abusing and defaming writerE. Jean Carroll.
What is Kaitlan Collins’ net worth?
Collins' successful career has earned her a high net worth.
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According to Celebrity Net Worth, the anchor's fortune is valued at $5 million.
Her salary is $3 million, per the outlet.
