President Donald Trump launched a verbal attack on another female journalist on Thursday, responding harshly to a question about his priorities during a visit to the Lincoln Memorial.
ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott asked Trump why he was focusing on aesthetic projects like the newly painted Reflecting Pool while gas prices soared and the U.S. was engaged in a war in Iran. The president, visibly agitated, replied: “You know why? Because I wanna keep our country beautiful and safe. Beautiful also. This place was a disgusting place. It was, Washington Monument, the Lincoln Memorial, and we had a terrible, disgusting.. you probably don’t see dirt. But I do.”
Trump continued, describing the cleanup efforts: “They had to take 11 or 12 truckloads of garbage out of that lake, out of that water. And it sat there for years like that. And that’s not what our country’s about. Our country’s about beauty, cleanliness, safety, great people. Not a filthy capital.”
When Scott attempted to ask a follow-up question, Trump snapped: “Such a stupid question that you asked. We’re fixing up the reflecting pond to the Lincoln Memorial, the Washington Monument. And you say, ‘Why are you fixing anything up?’ Because you can understand dirt, maybe better than I can. But I don’t allow it.”
The president then turned to aides and complained: “This is one of the worst reporters. She’s with ABC fake news and she’s a horror show. She’s saying, ‘Why would you bother fixing this up? Why would I bother taking 11 or 12 truckloads of filth out of the water in front of the Lincoln monument?’ That’s what made our country great. Beauty made our country. People made our country great. A question like that is a disgrace to our country.”
Trump has previously attacked Scott, as he has numerous other female journalists. The White House celebrated the exchange on social media, posting: “@POTUS destroys ABC Fake News reporter,” along with a video of the confrontation.
