You look like hell!” The post followed a press briefing where Bogage asked the president how he was feeling after weeks on the campaign trail and whether a briefly canceled trip to Kansas was related to being “sick of traveling.” Trump responded by attacking the reporter’s physical appearance. I feel perfect,” Trump said Thursday, adding, “You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape, you look like hell.” Trump also described as “terrible” and rejected suggestions that his health influenced the schedule changes, stating he initially did not believe he needed to campaign in Kansas.
The confrontation came in the closing days of the midterm campaign as Trump and Republicans mounted a final push before voters head to the polls Tuesday. As part of a nationwide midterm blitz, Trump has held 25 rallies in 19 states since October 1, with recent stops including Texas, Kansas, Ohio, Alaska, Iowa, Montana, Mississippi, South Carolina and Florida as Republicans fight to retain control of Congress. The Republican National Committee (RNC) initially announced that planned Trump rallies in Kansas and Iowa had been canceled in favor of tele-rallies intended to reach voters across nearly 20 states.
RNC chairman Joe Gruters said the shift would allow Trump to reach more voters during a final “72-hour sprint.” However, the schedule changed again less than a day later. The Kansas rally had initially been planned for Saturday and the Iowa rally for Sunday. After both were briefly canceled, the events were restored to Trump’s schedule for Sunday.
The abrupt changes came as traditionally Republican-friendly Kansas and Iowa host competitive Senate contests, with control of Congress at stake. Republicans hold a 53-47 Senate majority, while all 435 House seats and 35 Senate seats are on the midterm ballot. Newsweek reached out to by email Saturday for comment.
The exchange is the latest in a series of confrontations between Trump and journalists during his second term. Earlier in October, Trump snapped at multiple journalists while answering questions in the Oval Office, warning one reporter to “be careful” and telling another: “I actually think there's something wrong with you.” The president has also targeted news organizations over coverage he considers unfair. In September, Trump barred CNN, MS NOW and Politico from White House grounds after accusing them of publishing “fake news.” Trump has also repeatedly clashed with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, criticizing her questions and attacking the network.
The outlets sued, arguing that the ban constituted retaliation based on their coverage and violated the First Amendment and their due-process rights. District Judge Timothy Kelly temporarily blocked the ban and ordered the White House to restore the outlets’ credentials, finding that they were likely to succeed on their claim that access had been revoked without due process. The judge later extended the order, allowing their reporters to continue entering White House grounds.
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