President Donald Trump publicly insulted a reporter during a press briefing, calling her “a stupid person” after she questioned his claims about the vetting process for an Afghan suspect involved in a fatal shooting.
The heated exchange occurred on a Thursday, as Trump addressed the media regarding an incident in Washington D.C., where a suspect, identified as an Afghan national, allegedly shot two National Guard soldiers.
During the briefing, a female reporter challenged the President’s assertion that individuals were entering the country without proper screening. She cited U.S. officials who stated the suspect had worked closely with the CIA in Afghanistan for years and had successfully passed background checks.
The reporter further noted a Justice Department Inspector General’s report from the current year, which indicated the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI had thoroughly vetted Afghans brought into the United States.
Trump reacted furiously to her questions. “Because they let them in, are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?” he retorted, according to the transcript.
He continued to blame the Biden administration, stating, “Because they came in on planes with thousands of other people who shouldn’t be here, and you’re asking questions because you’re stupid.”
Trump declared the suspect “crazy” and “mad.” He asserted that many more such individuals were in the country and pledged to “get them out.”
He maintained that new laws made deporting such individuals almost impossible once they had entered. He reiterated his claim that these individuals arrived without vetting, calling the situation an “outrage” and the entire Afghanistan situation a “mess.”
The shooting incident, which occurred the day before the press conference, resulted in the death of 20-year-old Sarah Beckstrom. President Trump announced her death on Thursday evening.
Another victim, Andrew Woolf, 24, remained in critical condition following the same attack.
This confrontation was not the first instance of President Trump using harsh language with female journalists. Earlier in November, he reportedly referred to one reporter as “piggy” and another as “a terrible person.”
On November 26, Trump also expressed strong disapproval of a New York Times report that focused on his age and perceived signs of fatigue, referring to the article’s female author as “ugly.”