President Donald Trump didn’t hold back during a recent White House event, unleashing sharp criticism on two female journalists for veering off the intended subject.

During an agriculture roundtable at the White House on Monday, December 8, 2025, Trump engaged in heated exchanges with ABC News reporter Rachel Scott and New York Newsday’s Laura Figueroa, branding both as unprepared and out of line for their questions on unrelated matters.

First up was Rachel Scott, who pressed Trump on whether he’d push Secretary of War Pete Hegseth to release the full video of a September 2 strike on a suspected Venezuelan drug boat.

Trump defends drug boat strike decision

Trump quickly deflected, noting that the call on releasing the footage rests with Hegseth, not him.

He added a pointed remark on the strike’s impact, suggesting that sinking such boats prevents thousands of American overdose deaths—a stark reminder of his administration’s hardline stance on drug trafficking.

Interestingly, while Trump previously expressed openness to releasing the video, Hegseth has hinted at hesitation, citing potential risks to ongoing operations during a recent defense forum.

Confrontation over video release intensifies

The exchange with Scott grew fiery as Trump’s frustration boiled over.

“Let me just tell you, you are an obnoxious – a terrible, actually a terrible reporter,” Trump snapped at Scott, doubling down on his irritation with her line of questioning. (Source: Donald Trump)

One has to wonder if Scott’s persistence on a topic Trump clearly wanted to sidestep reflects a broader media obsession with sensationalism over substance.

Second reporter faces Trump’s ire

Then came Laura Figueroa, who shifted gears to ask about midterm concerns and the wave of Republican retirements from Congress, noting at least 20 House members stepping away.

Trump wasn’t having it, challenging her on why she didn’t mention the Democrats also exiting, with 17 not seeking re-election, bringing the total to 40 incumbents bowing out.

“How come you only know the Republicans but not the Democrats?” Trump pressed, accusing Figueroa of being “totally unprepared” for not having the full picture. (Source: Donald Trump)

Pattern of media clashes emerges

Let’s be frank: Trump’s irritation with Figueroa isn’t baseless when journalists cherry-pick data to fit a narrative, ignoring the bipartisan nature of congressional exits.

This isn’t the first time Trump has tangled with the press over what he sees as irrelevant or hostile queries, as evidenced by a recent incident where he insulted a female reporter on Air Force One and later criticized another from Bloomberg as subpar.

While Trump’s blunt style can ruffle feathers, it’s hard to ignore that some in the media seem more focused on gotcha moments than sticking to the event’s purpose—here, an agriculture discussion—raising questions about whether such confrontations are more about clicks than clarity.