Former National Security Adviser Susan Rice suggested Monday that President Trump’s recent confrontation with a black female reporter displayed his dislike for strong women in general and black women in particular.
During Sunday’s White House coronavirus task force briefing, the president told PBS correspondent Yamiche Alcindor to “be nice” and to not be “threatening” in response to a question about Trump’s claim that state governors were requesting supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic that they didn’t actually need.
“You go, girl,” Rice tweeted at Alcindor. “Pathetic when insecure men can’t stomach strong black women.”
“I’m not the first human being, woman, black person or journalist to be told that while doing a job” Alcindor tweeted Sunday. “My take: Be steady. Stay focused. Remember your purpose. And, always press forward.”
The White House did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Rice also told MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell that she should have tweeted about Trump targeting “strong women.”
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“Because he has a particular problem, it seems, with black women. But I think as was pointed out in your earlier segment, it’s a problem that applies to women with strong personalities and a willingness to stand up for themselves and their beliefs across the board.”
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The Washington Post similarly highlighted Alcindor’s race, although Trump did not explicitly reference that during the exchange.
“Alcindor, who is a black woman, tried to finish her question, but Trump interrupted again,” the Post wrote. It added that “Trump’s reaction to Alcindor’s question recalled past incidents in which the president has cast black female reporters as ‘stupid,’ ‘a loser’ and ‘racist.'”
This isn’t the first time media figures have suggested Trump was racist. In November 2018, American Urban Radio Networks reporter April Ryan penned an op-ed in the Post titled: “I’m a black woman. Trump loves insulting people like me.”
The piece referenced comments Trump made to Alcindor, CNN’s Abby Phillip, and non-journalists like Rep. Maxine Waters, D-Calif.
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However, Trump has turned his ire on many male media figures, including CNN’s Jim Acosta and NBC’s Peter Alexander, whom Trump called a “terrible reporter” in response to what he described as a “very nasty” question during a recent press briefing.
Trump has also attacked many white men with similarly testy language, including “psycho” Joe Scarborough, “Lyin’ Brian Williams,” “third rate grandstander” Rep. Thomas Massie, R-Ky.,“cutie pie” Jon Karl of ABC, and ‘Liddle’ Michael Bloomberg and Bob Corker, among many, many others.
