Donald Trump criticized another female journalist from the White House press corps on Friday, December 12.
In recent weeks, Trump has faced significant criticism for his interactions with female journalists.
In November, he told Bloomberg journalist Catherine Lucey, “quiet piggy” in response to her inquiry about the Jeffrey Epstein files.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt commented on Trump’s remark to Lucey, stating it was his way of being “respectful,” and added, “Look, the president is very frank & honest with everyone in this room.”
In a separate incident, ABC News reporter Rachel Scott questioned Trump regarding his previous claim about releasing a video on a possible illegal strike on a purported drug boat. This led him to launch a verbal attack against her, labeling her as “obnoxious” and a “terrible reporter.”
He also referred to CNN’s White House correspondent, Kaitlan Collins, as “nasty” and “stupid,” to which she later responded.
During his session with the press on December 12, Trump appeared to address a reporter, saying she was “very aggressive.”
“You have to be nice and easy, nice and easy,” Trump remarked. “She’s very aggressive.”
According to The Independent, the journalist seemed to be NBC News’ Yamiche Alcindor, who subsequently questioned Trump about the release of Epstein images when given the opportunity.
This isn’t the first instance of Trump criticizing Alcindor, as he previously labeled her “second-rate” following her inquiry about an AI image he shared regarding declaring “war” on Chicago during an immigration crackdown.
In 2020, at a Covid-19 press briefing, Trump told Alcindor she should “be nice” and not “be threatening” during their interaction.
After Trump made disparaging remarks towards New York Times reporter Katie Rogers, calling her “ugly, both inside and out” in response to her article concerning his health, White House spokeswoman Abigail Jackson commented: “President Trump has never been politically correct, never holds back, and in large part, the American people re-elected him for his transparency.
“This has nothing to do with gender – it has everything to do with the fact that the President’s and the public’s trust in the media is at all-time lows.”
The White House has also highlighted other instances of Trump criticizing male journalists, such as referring to a Reuters reporter as “third-rate” or criticizing a Wall Street Journal reporter for being part of a “rotten” publication.
Meanwhile, The New York Times responded to Trump’s remarks. Charlie Stadtlander, the executive director of media relations and communications for the publication, stated: “The Times’s reporting is accurate and built on first-hand reporting of the facts. Name-calling and personal insults don’t change that, nor will our journalists hesitate to cover this administration in the face of intimidation tactics like this.
“Expert and thorough reporters like Katie Rogers exemplify how an independent and free press helps the American people better understand their government and its leaders.”