In a heated exchange during a White House briefing on Monday, President Donald Trump sharply criticized ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott, calling her "the most obnoxious reporter" after she pressed him on the release of video footage related to a controversial Pentagon military strike. The incident highlights Trump's ongoing tensions with female journalists, particularly those from major networks.
Scott, a prominent black journalist who previously clashed with Trump during a 2024 panel at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago, directed her question toward the administration's handling of a recent operation involving a Venezuelan vessel suspected of drug trafficking. The strike has sparked allegations of potential war crimes, with reports claiming a follow-up attack targeted two survivors adrift in the ocean-possibly ordered solely to eliminate witnesses.
"Are you committed to releasing the full video?" Scott asked.
Trump, visibly irritated, responded forcefully: "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."
The remarks came amid growing scrutiny of Trump and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth. On December 3, Trump had assured ABC's Selina Wang that the administration would disclose "whatever they have, no problem" about the incident. Critics argue the secondary strike could violate international law if proven to be an execution-style killing.
This is not the first time Trump has targeted Scott or other women in the press. Just last month, on November 18, he rebuked ABC's Mary Bruce over a question about Jeffrey Epstein, dismissing her as a "terrible reporter" and "terrible person" while threatening to revoke ABC's broadcast license for "fake news." Similar outbursts have included calling CNN's Kaitlan Collins disruptive and Bloomberg's Catherine Lucey "piggy" during inquiries about Epstein-related files.