Donald Trump has long had a combative relationship with the press, but in recent weeks, his sharpest attacks have been aimed predominantly at female reporters — a pattern that has drawn renewed public scrutiny. The White House insists his remarks have “nothing to do with gender,” yet the frequency and tone of his comments have sparked widespread debate.
What once would have been unthinkable for a sitting U.S. president — publicly mocking a journalist’s appearance or using ableist slurs against elected officials — has slowly become routine. The latest string of incidents has only heightened concerns.
In November, Trump ignited outrage when he told a Bloomberg White House correspondent, who pressed him on the Epstein files, “Quiet, piggy.” Days later, he went after a female CNN reporter, calling her “nasty” and “stupid,” continuing a pattern of dismissive hostility toward women asking him difficult questions.
Thanksgiving week brought no pause. On Truth Social, Trump targeted Minnesota Governor Tim Walz with an ableist slur before directing xenophobic language at Rep. Ilhan Omar, calling her “the worst ‘Congressman/woman’ in our Country… always wrapped in her swaddling hijab.” And during another exchange with a female journalist who asked about a suspect in an attack on National Guard members in Washington, D.C., he shot back, “Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?”