Trump’s Attacks on Black Female Journalists

It’s a familiar pattern: President Donald Trump launching personal attacks on journalists, particularly Black female reporters. His recent outburst against Yamiche Alcindor of PBS NewsHour, calling her “second-rate,” is just the latest example in a history of targeting women of color who dare to ask tough questions.

Escalation Over Chicago Comments

The incident occurred as Alcindor questioned Trump about a jarring social media post where he seemed to threaten “war” in Chicago. Trump had renamed his Cabinet-level department for the U.S. Armed Forces to the “Department of WAR” and posted, “Chicago is going to learn why it’s called the Department of WAR.” This came after weeks of Trump criticizing crime in majority Black and brown cities and threatening to deploy the National Guard.

When Alcindor pressed him for an explanation, Trump fired back, “When you say that, darling, that’s fake news.” When she persisted, asking why he’d use the Department of Defense, Trump retorted, “Listen. Be quiet. Listen. You don’t listen. You never listen. That’s why you’re second-rate.”

A Pattern of Attacks

This isn’t the first time Trump has clashed with Alcindor. In 2018, he dismissed her question about his use of the term “nationalist” and its connection to white supremacists as “racist.” In 2019, he called her “untruthful” regarding reports about his administration’s transparency. And in 2020, when she questioned his administration’s slow response to the COVID-19 pandemic, he called it a “nasty” and “snarky” question, urging her to “be nice.”

Civil rights attorney Sherrilyn Ifill suggested Trump’s reaction stemmed from Alcindor hitting a nerve. “He screwed up and has been trying to walk it back. She embarrassed him by being an actual reporter and raising what he wanted to avoid. Coward!” Ifill wrote on social media.

Targeting Black Female Journalists

The attacks extend beyond Alcindor. Longtime White House reporter April Ryan was called a “loser” by Trump in 2018 and told she “doesn’t know what the hell she is doing.” He infamously asked her to “set up” a meeting with the Congressional Black Caucus in 2017. More recently, he criticized CNN’s Abby Phillip, calling her a “3rd rate” talent with “no idea what she is talking about” regarding tariffs.

These repeated personal insults against Black female journalists have drawn condemnation from organizations like the National Association of Black Journalists (NABJ). NABJ President Errin Haines emphasized the importance of respecting journalists, stating, “When journalists show up to do their jobs, they should not be personally attacked and impounded by subjects they cover.”

• Trump recently called reporter Yamiche Alcindor “second-rate” during a press scrum.
• The exchange occurred after Alcindor questioned Trump’s use of the term “Department of WAR” regarding Chicago.
• This incident is part of a pattern of Trump attacking Black female journalists.
• Previous targets include April Ryan and Abby Phillip.
• The NABJ has vowed to defend Black journalists and the freedom of the press.

Defending the Press

Haines affirmed NABJ’s commitment to supporting journalists like Alcindor, who was named their 2020 Journalist of the Year. “NABJ will continue to champion Black journalists… who show up every day with integrity, rigor, and clarity,” she stated. The association stresses that protecting the press is essential for protecting the people and upholding democracy.