President Donald Trump’s animosity toward women journalists who ask tough questions is widely known.
He cuts them off, talks over them, calls them names and otherwise belittles them whenever he feels like it.
And so it went again during an Oval Office Press briefing Thursday, after PBS White House correspondent Liz Landers pressed Trump on sanctioning Chinese banks.
It started with questions over Russia and China’s continued business ties with Iran. The U.S. implemented strict financial sanctions against Tehran to try and force the regime to the table over reopening the Strait of Hormuz and end Trump’s ongoing war.
Iran relies heavily on Chinese and Russian markets to sell its oil exports.
“Will you punish Putin or Russia if they continue,” Landers asked, but Trump cut her off.
‘Well, it depends. I think so far Russia’s behaved quite well having to do with the Strait of Hormuz, and you have to understand for everything they do, we do also,” he began
“Someone who’s saying about China, ‘What about China?’ We hear they’re spying.’ We spy on them, too. That’s the way it goes,” an animated Trump insisted, gesturing with his hands and wildly throwing up his arms.
But Landers wasn’t done, and she didn’t back down.
“Why not sanction Chinese banks, though, who are doing business with Iran?” Landers asked as Trump cut her off.
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“Who says I’m not? You said, ‘Why not?’ I mean who said I’m not?” a short-tempered Trump fired back at her.
“He continued talking over her, “You don’t know if I’m doing it. I don’t have to announce everything, do I?” a smug Trump lashed out with the rhetorical question.
Social media lashed out right back at him in response.
“Oops. Trump was caught off-guard, so of course, he disassembles,” an X user noted.
Another made a pointed observation, “He thinks the only way to find something out is if he announces it.”
This commenter used reverse psychological analysis to make their point.
“Every day, he announces things that he doesn’t actually do. So if he’s not announcing it, he definitely isn’t doing it.”
But opponents say this poster may have said it best: “So immature, it’s unreal.”
Just a few weeks ago Trump lashed out at CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes over a question about military exercises with South Korea. Then the White House took a swipe at her kids on social media.
He called another woman journalist “stupid” last month for asking questions he didn’t like. He’s commented on CNN’s Kaitlan Collins smile, saying she doesn’t smile enough.
He ordered Bloomberg News journalist Catherine Lucey to shut up last year, demanding, “Quiet, Piggy.”
The questions over China’s ties to Iran and its oil exports comes after the Justice Department admitted Wednesday, August 26, that Chinese hackers had compromised a number of U.S. government agencies and other American businesses, according to CNN.
The hacking campaign dates back to 2018 and continued through this year, CNN reported. Agencies impacted include DOJ, the Energy Department, the Federal Reserve, NASA, and the Senate.
Other targets included utilities, hospitals, military networks and defense contractors.
The full scale of the damage is unknown.
What is known, though, is that Trump and his Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent seem unwilling or at least hesitant to sanction Chinese banks just yet, for fear of escalating trade tensions again.
That’s because Chinese President Xi Jinping is due in Washington for a meeting with Trump next month.
Meantime, though, Politico reports Trump has signed off on sanctions against Chinese refineries, shipping companies, procurement networks, and other entities that help sustain Iran’s illicit economy.
