President Donald Trump once again sparked backlash Sunday night after publicly belittling a female journalist aboard Air Force One, dismissing her question about Iran as a “stupid question” and reinforcing a pattern of gendered attacks that critics say is especially damaging for women in journalism and public life.
The exchange unfolded as Trump addressed escalating tensions with Iran, where the regime has carried out a deadly crackdown on nationwide protests and threatened retaliation against U.S. military bases should the United States intervene. Trump issued a blunt warning, saying that if Iran attacked American targets, the response would be overwhelming.
“If they do that, we’ll consider things, targets, that they wouldn’t believe,” Trump said. “We will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
When a reporter asked whether Iran takes those threats seriously, Trump responded by mocking both the question and the journalist. Identifying her as a CNN reporter, he replied sarcastically before listing past U.S. military actions, including the killing of Iranian General Qassem Soleimani, the raid that killed ISIS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, and recent U.S. involvement in Venezuela that resulted in the removal of President Nicolás Maduro.
“She says, CNN, ‘Do you think they take your threat seriously?’” Trump said, before adding, “What a stupid question.”
Rather than engaging with the substance of the question — one squarely focused on foreign policy and global stability — Trump chose to demean the woman asking it. For critics, the moment was emblematic of a broader and troubling pattern.
Trump has repeatedly singled out female reporters with insults and personal attacks, often questioning their intelligence, appearance, or professionalism when they press him on policy or accountability. He has previously called CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins “stupid and nasty,” snapped at CBS correspondent Nancy Cordes by asking if she was “a stupid person,” labeled New York Times reporter Katie Rogers “ugly,” dismissed ABC News correspondent Mary Bruce’s question as “horrible” and “insubordinate,” and once told Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey to be “quiet, piggy.”
Media watchdogs and gender equity advocates argue that these attacks go far beyond bruised egos. Publicly humiliating women for asking straightforward, policy-based questions sends a message that women who challenge power should expect ridicule rather than respect. They warn that such behavior reinforces harmful stereotypes and contributes to a climate in which women’s voices are devalued.
For women in journalism, the impact can be chilling. Even seasoned reporters, trained to ask tough questions, are forced to navigate the risk of personal attack simply for doing their jobs. Critics say the dynamic discourages participation, emboldens harassment, and normalizes sexism in professional spaces.
The pattern has become particularly stark in recent months, as Trump’s rhetoric toward female journalists has grown increasingly personal and dismissive. While Trump and his allies often frame these moments as toughness or media bashing, detractors say the repeated targeting of women reveals something deeper — a refusal to treat women as legitimate participants in serious political discourse.
For many women watching these exchanges, the message is unmistakable. Asking questions, asserting expertise, or holding power to account can come with public scorn — not because the questions are flawed, but because the person asking them is a woman.
As Trump continues to dominate the political stage, critics argue that the real cost of these moments isn’t just media outrage, but the normalization of a culture where women are mocked, silenced, and demeaned for speaking up.
