WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 18: U.S. President Donald Trump speaks during a swearing in ceremony for Dr. Mehmet Oz as Medicare and Medicaid Services Administrator in the Oval Office at the White House on April 18, 2025 in Washington, DC. Oz spoke of a desire to provide America access to great care while reducing chronic disease and modernizing Medicare and Medicaid. Andrew Harnik/Getty Images/AFP (Photo by Andrew Harnik / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP)
United States President Donald Trump on Thursday ignited a fresh storm over his treatment of the press after berating a female journalist during a briefing at his Florida estate, reviving longstanding concerns about his combative relationship with the media.
The tense exchange unfolded when the reporter questioned why the President continued to blame his predecessor, Joe Biden, for admitting Afghan nationals into the United States, despite assurances from officials that the individuals had undergone thorough vetting.
Trump abruptly cut her off, launching into a scathing outburst. “Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?” he snapped, before brandishing a photograph of a crowded US military aircraft from the 2021 evacuation. He argued that “thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here” were allowed entry under the previous administration.
The confrontation comes against the backdrop of heightened unease in Washington, following the shooting of two National Guard soldiers near the White House on Wednesday. Authorities allege the assailant is an Afghan national resettled after the US withdrawal from Afghanistan, prompting renewed political debate over immigration and national security standards.
Although Trump’s fiery rhetoric has become a hallmark of his presidency, critics argue that his most cutting remarks disproportionately target women journalists. The incident adds to a growing list of personal attacks that many observers warn undermine institutional respect and democratic engagement.
Only a day earlier, Trump had lashed out at a female New York Times reporter, describing her as “ugly” after she published an article highlighting his age and apparent signs of fatigue. Earlier in the month, he labelled one woman journalist “piggy” and dismissed another as “a terrible person.”
