Trump lashes out calling reporter 'stupid' following questioning over Russian sanctions
President Donald Trump’s antics at the White House have caused a stir once again as he branded a reporter ‘stupid’ for asking a question about Russian sanctions.
In yet another bizarre day of politics, the US leader was taking questions from the press on the lawn of the White House on Wednesday (October 21) when he lashed out at members of the media, referring to them as ‘dummies’ and ‘stupid’.
This comes after Trump faced criticism for waiving new sanctions on Russia that had been part of a bill he signed.
When quizzed about this decision, Trump said: “I have the right to do them at any day.”
Advert
Trump argues his reasons for Russian sanctions u-turn
When pushed on the matter by CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, the president shot back: “You don’t know what you’re talking about. You’re a low-IQ person, you’re a dummy, and you work for CNN.”
Trump claimed that the reason he had not implemented the sanctions was because he had been negotiating for the release of 74-year-old American teacher Stephen Hubbard.
The president argued: “If I’m negotiating to get a man back… when you’re negotiating that - and I know that I’m doing it because a lot of people didn’t know, and they say, ‘Oh, let’s put sanctions on Russia’ - that negotiation would obviously come immediately to an end.”
One reporter asked: “How is waiving those sanctions on Russia to secure the release of Hubbard not giving something to Russia in exchange?”
This appears to anger Trump, who hit back with: “Are you a stupid person? Who do you work for?”
In response, the reporter shared that they work for ABC News, to which Trump went on to add: “You’re a stupid person and by the way, your network is the worst of all.”
Who is Stephen Hubbard?
Stephen Hubbard spent more than four years in a Russian prison before being released yesterday (October 21), following an appeal from Trump to President Vladimir Putin.
Hubbard was initially detained back in April 2022 in the Ukrainian city of Izyum, where he had been living for several years. Russian authorities accused him of fighting for Ukraine as a mercenary, alleging that he had joined a territorial defence unit and received money to take up arms against Russian forces.
He was convicted of mercenary activity by a Moscow court in October 2024 and sentenced to six years and 10 months in prison. However, his family and US lawyer disputed the allegations, with his lawyer saying Hubbard had told him he was not a member of a military unit and had not taken part in combat.
Trump claims that he personally asked Putin to release Hubbard during a phone call, with his official release announced yesterday.