President Donald Trump launched a scathing and deeply personal attack against New York Times White House correspondent Katie Rogers on Wednesday morning, calling her “ugly, both inside and out” in a lengthy Truth Social post that came hours after the publication of an article examining his reduced public schedule and signs of fatigue during his second term. The 79-year-old president characterized Rogers as “a third rate reporter who is assigned to write only bad things about me” while simultaneously defending his work ethic and energy levels.
The Article That Triggered the Outburst
The New York Times story, titled “Signs of Fatigue: Trump Faces Realities of Aging in Office,” was published on Tuesday, November 25, and co-authored by Rogers and Dylan Freedman, a member of the newspaper’s data initiatives team. The article reported that Trump “has fewer public engagements on his calendar and is traveling domestically significantly less than he did at this time in his initial year in office, in 2017”. Specifically, the reporters noted that Trump “maintains a shorter public schedule than he previously did, with most of his appearances occurring between noon and 5 p.m.”. The piece also referenced an event earlier in November during which the president appeared to “doze on and off for several seconds”.
Trump’s Gendered Response
In a notable pattern, Trump completely ignored Freedman, the male co-author of the article, and directed all of his personal vitriol exclusively at Rogers, the female journalist. The president’s Truth Social post began by characterizing the story as a “hit piece,” claiming that “The Radical Left Lunatics in the soon to fold New York Times did a hit piece on me that I am perhaps losing my Energy, despite facts that show the exact opposite”. He then launched into his personal attack on Rogers before pivoting to promote his own accomplishments, falsely claiming he has “the highest Poll numbers, ever” despite his approval ratings having declined significantly from their second-term peak.
Trump’s post also included defensive statements about his health and stamina, asserting, “There will be a day when I run low on energy, it happens to everyone, but with a perfect physical exam and a comprehensive cognitive test (‘that was aced’) just recently taken, it certainly is not now. He further claimed, “I have never worked so hard” in his life, attempting to rebut the Times’ reporting about his reduced schedule.
The New York Times Stands Firm
The newspaper issued a strong defense of both Rogers and the reporting, with a spokesperson telling multiple media outlets that “The Times’ reporting is accurate and built on first-hand reporting of the facts. The statement continued: “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”.
In his attack, Trump also disparaged The New York Times as a whole, calling it a “cheap ‘rag'” that is “truly an ‘enemy of the people'” and claiming it is “soon to fold”. These characterizations stand in stark contrast to reality, as the Times has remained profitable and continues to expand its digital subscription base. Trump is currently pursuing a $15 billion defamation lawsuit against the newspaper and several of its reporters, which he refiled in October after a federal judge previously dismissed it. Legal experts have suggested the case is weak and unlikely to succeed.
Escalating Pattern of Attacks on Women Journalists
This incident represents the third time in less than two weeks that Trump has employed personal insults and derogatory language against female reporters covering his administration. On November 14, while aboard Air Force One, Trump told Bloomberg White House correspondent Catherine Lucey to “Quiet, piggy” when she attempted to ask a follow-up question about the Jeffrey Epstein files. The president cut her off mid-question with the degrading remark, shocking reporters present on the presidential aircraft.
Later in November, during a meeting with Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, Trump publicly berated ABC News reporter Mary Bruce after she posed a question to the Saudi leader. Trump told Bruce, “It’s not the question that bothers me. It’s your demeanor. I consider you a terrible reporter,” before escalating further by calling her “a terrible person” and criticizing ABC as a “crappy company. The harsh rebuke came in front of the Saudi crown prince and other dignitaries, adding to the embarrassment of the public dressing-down.
White House Defense and Press Freedom Concerns
In response to criticism of Trump’s treatment of female journalists, White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt defended the president’s behavior, telling TIME magazine that “President Trump has never been politically correct, never holds back, and in large part, the American people re-elected him for his transparency”. Leavitt insisted, “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”.
However, press freedom advocates and journalism organizations have expressed concern about the president’s rhetoric and its potential impact on reporter safety. The National Press Club has previously condemned Trump’s statements toward journalists, warning that such language “can jeopardize the fundamental principle that journalists must operate without fear of violence or retaliation”. Media analysts have noted that Trump’s attacks appear to disproportionately target women reporters with personal insults about their appearance, demeanor, and character, while male journalists covering similar stories often escape such treatment.
Katie Rogers, who has covered both of Trump’s presidential terms as a White House correspondent, is widely respected in journalism circles for her thorough and balanced reporting. The latest attack on her professional credibility and personal character has drawn widespread condemnation from media organizations and press freedom groups, who view it as part of a broader pattern of intimidation tactics aimed at suppressing critical coverage of the administration.
