President Donald Trump recently slammed CBS reporter Norah O’Donnell, calling her a “disgrace,” during an interview on “60 Minutes” on Sunday. Experts in politics and journalism discussed Trump’s history of disparaging female journalists — and why it’s crucial that journalists continue to hold leaders accountable.
O’Donnell began the sit-down by saying she was glad Trump was safe and by asking how he was doing following the shooting at the White House Correspondents’ Association dinner on Saturday night. The interview began to sour when O’Donnell read aloud part of a note from the man suspected of opening fire on the dinner at the Washington Hilton hotel in Washington, D.C.
“The so-called manifesto is a stunning thing to read, Mr. President. He appears to reference a motive in it,” O’Donnell said. “He writes this quote: ‘Administration officials, they are targets.’ And he also wrote this: ‘I am no longer willing to permit a pedophile, rapist and traitor to coat my hands with his crimes.’ What’s your reaction to that?”
Trump hit back by saying he knew O’Donnell was going to read the alleged note, “because you’re horrible people.”
