US President Donald Trump has found himself in fresh controversy after launching personal attacks against two female journalists during separate high-pressure encounters. The incidents, which occurred within days of each other, involved questions about the Jeffrey Epstein files and his family's business ties to Saudi Arabia.
Confrontation on Air Force One
The first outburst happened on Friday aboard Air Force One. Reporters were questioning the President ahead of a vote for the US Justice Department to release all records related to the late convicted sex offender, Jeffrey Epstein.
When Catherine Lucey, a Bloomberg White House correspondent, pressed Trump on why he seemed agitated "if there's nothing incriminating in the files," the President's response was swift and derogatory. He told Lucey to be "quiet. Quiet, piggy".
A White House Official later defended the President's remarks to The Guardian, stating, "This reporter behaved in an inappropriate and unprofessional way towards her colleagues on the plane." The official added, "If you're going to give it, you have to be able to take." Trump has consistently denied any involvement in Epstein's crimes.
Oval Office Clash with Saudi Crown Prince
Just days later, on Tuesday afternoon, President Trump hosted Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office. The visit was overshadowed by another heated exchange, this time with Mary Bruce, ABC's chief White House correspondent.
Bruce questioned whether the Trump family doing business in Saudi Arabia presented a "conflict of interest" for him as president. She then directly asked Crown Prince Salman "why should Americans trust you" after US intelligence concluded he orchestrated the brutal murder of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi.
Trump immediately came to the defence of his guest, labelling the network "ABC fake news, one of the worst in the business." He insisted he had "nothing to do with the family business" before turning his ire on Bruce.
A Pattern of Personal Attacks
President Trump called Mary Bruce a "terrible person and a terrible reporter," criticising her attitude and the nature of her questions. "It's not the question that I mind, it's your attitude," he said. "You start off with a man who is highly respected, asking him a horrible, insubordinate, and just a terrible question."
Returning to the subject of Epstein, Trump reiterated his denial of any connection, stating, "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." He concluded by toying with the idea of the ABC network being stripped of its broadcast licence "because your news is so fake and it's so wrong."
These consecutive incidents have once again put a spotlight on the President's treatment of the press and his responses to questions on sensitive international and legal matters.
