Soon after canceling a campaign event, President Donald Trump lashed out at a Reuters reporter who asked about his health, calling him “sick” and “disgusting” before abruptly ending an uncharacteristically brief press gaggle on an airport tarmac.
The confrontation with Reuters White House correspondent Jacob Bogage came Thursday as Trump headed back to the White House for a Halloween event.
Hours earlier, Bogage had posted an unflattering close-up of Trump on X as the president left for a rally in Rock Hill, South Carolina.
“Why aren’t you going to Kansas?” another reporter asked, kicking off the gaggle.
Trump insisted Sen. Roger Marshall (R-KS) did not need him in Kansas. Saturday’s planned rally for Marshall had been canceled earlier in the day, sparking speculation. Kansas Republican Party chair Danedri Herbert later confirmed the cancellation.
“Because I think he’s doing well,” Trump said when a reporter asked earlier in the gaggle why he wasn’t going. “We’re gonna do a tele rally for him instead.”
Marshall trails Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton in new polling, in a state Trump carried by 16 points in 2024.
Bogage then pressed Trump twice on whether the travel was wearing on him.
“Mr. President, you’ve been doing a lot of travel. We’ve been doing a lot of travel with you. How are you feeling? How’s your health?” Bogage asked.
“Good. I think very good. I think you see that,” Trump replied. “We had a great rally.”
“So you not going to Kansas have nothing to do with you being sick of traveling?” Bogage followed up.
“You’re sick to ask that question. You are sick! Who are you with?” Trump shot back.
“I’m with Reuters, sir,” Bogage said.
“You are a sick guy! Reuters is terrible, by the way,” Trump said.
“We do wanna make sure you’re doing well,” Bogage replied.
“Look at this guy! He’s way out of shape!” Trump said. “…I don’t feel I have to go [to] Kansas! I’m going to Florida tomorrow…”
“I feel perfect! You are disgusting! Put yourself in shape! You look like hell!” Trump continued.
Trump threw up his hand at Bogage, ended the gaggle, and stormed away as reporters kept shouting questions.
The president has a history of attacking journalists who ask about his health.
Last November, CBS reporter Weijia Jiang asked Trump aboard Air Force One what part of his body an MRI had scanned. Trump told her he had aced a cognitive test, adding, “I got a perfect mark, which you would be incapable of doing.”
In July, the president wrote on Truth Social that New York Times reporter Maggie Haberman “will pay the price” after she questioned his health and mental fitness on MS NOW. Trump added that he “just finished a perfect physical at Walter Reed.”
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