Trump, 79, Veers Off-Script to Rage About ‘Stupid’ Female Reporter

Key Points:

• During a Fox News interview, President Donald Trump interrupted to criticize CBS correspondent Norah O’Donnell, calling her “stupid” and “horrible” for reading part of a manifesto by Cole Thomas Allen, who allegedly attempted to assassinate officials at the White House Correspondents’ dinner.
• Trump vehemently denied accusations implied in the manifesto, rejecting labels such as “rapist” and “pedophile,” and continued to disparage O’Donnell in subsequent interviews, calling her an average person and criticizing her questions about China.
• The president has repeatedly shown disdain for female reporters who ask challenging questions, including recent confrontations with journalists from MS NOW, ABC News, and Bloomberg, often resorting to personal insults.
• Despite widespread criticism, White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt defended Trump’s behavior as frankness and honesty, framing it as a contrast to previous administrations and a reason for his re-election.
• Trump’s pattern of targeting female journalists, many of whom are Black, has drawn attention, though the White House denies these attacks are gender-based, even as most outbursts have been directed at women.