President Donald Trump insulted a female reporter’s appearance on Wednesday, calling New York Times correspondent Katie Rogers “ugly” and marking the third time in recent weeks he has personally targeted a female journalist.
In a Truth Social post, Trump described Rogers as “a third rate reporter who is ugly, both inside and out,” one day after she and a male New York Times data reporter co-wrote an article noting signs that Trump is aging in office. Trump also rejected the premise of the piece, writing, “They know this is wrong.”
He did not mention her co-author by name, instead attacking the Times as a “cheap ‘rag’” and “an ‘enemy of the people.’”
A spokesperson for The New York Times defended Rogers and her work in a statement to NBC News on Wednesday, saying, “The Times’ reporting is accurate and built on first-hand reporting of the facts. Name-calling and personal insults don’t change that, nor will our journalists hesitate to cover this administration in the face of intimidation tactics like this.”
“Expert and thorough reporters like Katie Rogers exemplify how an independent and free press helps the American people better understand their government and its leaders,” the spokesperson added.
Trump’s post followed an earlier confrontation with ABC News’ Mary Bruce in the Oval Office, after she asked about the Jeffrey Epstein files during a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
“You know, it’s not the question that I mind. It’s your attitude. I think you are a terrible reporter,” Trump told Bruce, later calling her a “terrible person” and labeling ABC a “crappy company.”
Earlier in that same meeting, Bruce had asked Trump and the crown prince about the murder of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, which U.S. intelligence concluded in 2021 was orchestrated by the crown prince and his associates. Trump replied, “He knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that,” then admonished Bruce: “You don’t have to embarrass our guests by asking a question like that.”
ABC News representatives did not immediately respond to a request for comment from NBC News on Wednesday.
Just days before, Trump lashed out at Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey aboard Air Force One when she asked a question about Epstein, telling her: “Quiet, piggy.”
Asked about that remark last week, White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt framed Trump’s behavior as a sign of candor that voters appreciate.
“The president is very frank and honest with everyone in this room. You’ve all seen it yourself. You’ve all experienced it yourselves. And I think it’s one of the many reasons that the American people re-elected this president, because of his frankness,” Leavitt said. “And he calls out fake news when he sees it. He gets frustrated with reporters when you lie about him, when you spread fake news about him and his administration.”
“I think the president being frank and open and honest to your faces rather than hiding behind your backs, is, frankly, a lot more respectful than what you saw in the last administration,” she added.
On Wednesday, White House spokesperson Abigail Jackson rejected the idea that Trump’s recent comments are tied to gender.
She told NBC News, “President Trump has never been politically correct, never holds back, and in large part, the American people re-elected him for his transparency. This has nothing to do with gender — it has everything to do with the fact that the President’s and the public’s trust in the media is at all time lows.”
After Trump’s remark on Air Force One, a Bloomberg News spokesperson also defended their reporter’s work, telling NBC News, “Our White House journalists perform a vital public service, asking questions without fear or favor. We remain focused on reporting issues of public interest fairly and accurately.”
While Trump’s recent remarks have focused on female journalists, he has frequently used similar language when speaking about male reporters and political figures.
On Tuesday, during the annual turkey pardon at the White House, Trump attacked Illinois Gov. JB Pritzker over his efforts to block the deployment of National Guard troops in Chicago, calling him “a low-IQ person” and “a fat slob.”
The president added, “I’d like to lose a few pounds too, by the way, and I’m not going to lose it on Thanksgiving.”
In September, when late night host Jimmy Kimmel was suspended from ABC after comments he made on air about Charlie Kirk’s assassination, Trump repeatedly criticized him on social media, calling Kimmel a “man with no talent” and a “bum.”
That same month, Trump clashed with ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl during an Oval Office exchange about free speech. “Jon, you’re guilty. ABC is a terrible network, a very unfair network, and you should be ashamed of yourself,” Trump said.
“You’re not a wonderful person. Frankly, you’re a terrible reporter,” he added.
