Overview
- During a White House Q&A on Monday, ABC’s Rachel Scott asked if the administration would release full footage of a Pentagon strike on a suspected drug boat, prompting President Trump to call her “the most obnoxious” and “a terrible reporter.”
- Scott noted Trump said last week he would have “no problem” releasing the video, while on Monday he deferred to Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and denied making that pledge.
- Reporting about the Sept. 2 operation includes allegations of a follow-on strike against survivors in the water, which critics say could violate international law, fueling calls to disclose the complete footage.
- MS NOW anchors Nicolle Wallace and Lawrence O’Donnell condemned Trump’s rhetoric toward women reporters, praising Scott’s persistence and urging the press corps to show solidarity and push back on false claims.
- The exchange fits a recent pattern in which Trump has insulted multiple female journalists, including Kaitlan Collins, Nancy Cordes, Katie Rogers, Mary Bruce, and Catherine Lucey, drawing broader scrutiny of press norms and transparency.