President Donald Trump raged at an ABC reporter who asked about his family’s business in Saudi Arabia and the Jeffrey Epstein files.
The exchange took place as Trump met with Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office on Tuesday afternoon. This comes after Trump told a female reporter to be “quiet, piggy,” during an exchange on Air Force One last week.
When ABC News’s Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce asked Trump about the Epstein files, he called her a “terrible person and a terrible reporter” and called for her network to lose its license.
“It’s not the question that I mind. It’s your attitude,” Trump said. “I think you are a terrible reporter. It’s the way you ask these questions. You start off with a man who is highly respected, asking him a horrible, insubordinate and just a terrible question. You could even ask that same exact question nicely.”
“You’re all psyched. Somebody psychs you over at ABC, they’re going to psych it — you’re a terrible person and a terrible reporter,” he continued. “As far as the Epstein files is, I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein. I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert.”
A few moments later, Trump called for the network’s license to be reviewed.
“I think the license should be taken away from ABC, because your news is so fake and it’s so wrong, and we have a great commissioner, chairman, who should look at that,” Trump added, likely referring to FCC Chair Brendan Carr.
Earlier, Bruce had asked the president about his family’s business in Saudi Arabia.
“Is it appropriate, Mr. President, for your family to be doing business in Saudi Arabia while you’re president? Is that a conflict of interest?” she asked. “And, your Royal Highness, the U.S. Intelligence concluded that you orchestrated the brutal murder of a journalist — 9/11 families are furious that you are here in the Oval Office.”
“Why should Americans trust you? And the same to you, Mr President,” Bruce continued.
Trump asked Bruce which outlet she was with before responding.
“Fake news. ABC fake news, one of the worst in the business,” he said. “But I’ll answer your question. I have nothing to do with the family business.”
Trump also attempted to dismiss her question about the journalist, Jamal Khashoggi.
“A lot of people didn’t like that gentleman that you’re talking about, whether you like him or didn’t like him,” he said. “Things happen, but he knew nothing about it. And we can leave it at that.”
Trump has regularly insulted reporters, even calling some “the worst.” In another incident on Sunday, Trump labelled a reporter “the worst” who asked a question about Nick Fuentes while he was speaking.
“Will you let me finish my statement?” Trump snapped. “You are the worst. You’re with Bloomberg, right? You are the worst, I don’t know why they even have you.”
The president often dolls out derisive nicknames for reporters, too. For example, the president has regularly referred to ABC News’s George Stephanopoulos as “George Slopadopoulos,” and even used the nickname last month while answering reporters’ questions during a meeting with Argentine President Javier Milei.
This is a breaking news story. Check back for updates.
