In a tense moment that electrified Monday’s White House briefing room, President Donald Trump lashed out at ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott after she pressed him about releasing video evidence from a disputed Pentagon strike. His sharp retort — calling her “the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place” — instantly reignited long-running friction between Trump and several high-profile female journalists.
Scott’s inquiry centered on the administration’s handling of a military operation involving a Venezuelan vessel flagged for suspected narcotics activity. Reports have alleged that, following the initial strike, two survivors drifting in open water may have been deliberately targeted in a second attack — an allegation that, if verified, could constitute a war crime. Against that backdrop, Scott challenged the administration directly, asking: “Are you committed to releasing the full video?”
Trump, already visibly annoyed, snapped back: “Didn’t I just tell you that? You are the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place. Let me just tell you, you are an obnoxious—a terrible reporter. And it’s always the same thing with you. I told you, whatever Pete Hegseth wants to do is OK with me.” His reference to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth underscored the growing attention surrounding Hegseth’s role in the disputed operation.
Back on December 3, when ABC’s Selina Wang asked about making all footage public, Trump had insisted there would be “no problem” releasing “whatever they have.” Critics now contend that the conflicting signals — paired with allegations of an execution-style follow-up strike — demand full transparency.
Monday’s blowup also fit a familiar pattern. Trump’s clashes with Scott date back to their heated interaction during a 2024 panel at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago, where she pressed him on racial issues. And Scott is far from the only woman journalist to face Trump’s ire. On November 18, he berated ABC’s Mary Bruce over a Jeffrey Epstein question, branding her a “terrible reporter” and “terrible person” and even threatening ABC’s broadcast license for spreading “fake news.”
Other confrontations have included Trump calling CNN’s Kaitlan Collins disruptive and labeling Bloomberg’s Catherine Lucey “piggy” during inquiries into Epstein-related records.
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{Matzav.com}
Why emphasize his ire at davka female journalists? He has also publicly derided male journalists – and male politicians, like Zelensky and that guy from Australia.