By John Q. Hosedrinker 
During a Thanksgiving press conference, former President Donald Trump confronted CBS News reporter Nancy Cordes after she questioned his claims about an Afghan national accused of shooting two National Guard members. Trump, who said the suspect was among unvetted Afghan nationals admitted to the U.S. by the Biden administration, was challenged by Cordes about the suspect’s thorough vetting. In response, Trump insulted Cordes, asking if she was “stupid,” which added to a pattern of lashing out at female journalists. The attacks have been defended by the White House, with officials attributing Trump’s remarks to his “frankness” and the public’s distrust of the media.
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Trump Snaps at CBS Reporter on Thanksgiving When She Questions His Comments on National Guard Shooting: ‘Are You a Stupid Person?’
It’s really something, isn’t it? The sheer audacity. The complete lack of filter. Trump, on a Thanksgiving chat, going off the rails and asking a CBS reporter if she’s “a stupid person” just because she dared to question his take on the National Guard shooting. It’s like watching a train wreck in slow motion, except the train wreck is a former President and the tracks are the remnants of his already-tarnished reputation.
The fact that this behavior isn’t shocking anymore speaks volumes about the normalisation of his conduct. We’ve seen this play out time and again – the insults, the dismissals, the deflection from the actual issue. He seems to go straight for the jugular, personally attacking anyone who challenges him. The way he acts, you would be forgiven for thinking that he is trying to get under your skin. What’s truly scary is that it’s all out there in the open, on display for the whole world to see. It’s a complete lack of control, of anything resembling decorum or respect.
This whole episode is an unsettling illustration of a declining mental state, with his “social filter” seemingly nonexistent. Disinhibition, the hallmark of this kind of cognitive decline, is on full display here. It is an inability to keep thoughts private, and a loss of restraint in his speech. It’s a sad reality, but the frequency and intensity of these outbursts seem to be increasing. It makes you wonder how much longer this can continue, and how much further it will go.
The question the reporter posed, the one that triggered the meltdown, was actually pretty reasonable. She simply pointed out that the vetting of the individuals in question happened during his own administration. But facts, as we know, are often inconvenient for this guy. It’s almost comical how easily he crumbles when confronted with the truth. The rage and the insults are just a shield, a way to avoid answering the tough questions or admitting any fault.
And of course, it’s almost always female reporters who get the brunt of his ire. The misogyny is so blatant, so ingrained, it’s almost expected at this point. He would never talk to a male reporter this way, not if he could avoid it. They know how to handle him, how to make him squirm. With the women, it’s a different story. It’s always the same playbook: belittle, insult, and try to make them the story instead of his own actions.
The press, at this point, should probably stop being surprised. They should probably stop pretending to be shocked. The only thing that seems to get through is to meet him with a level of ferocity equal to his own. Let him have his tirades, and then calmly and persistently call him out on his lies. The media needs to be the counterweight, relentlessly demanding the truth.
The narrative he wants to sell is always the same. He attempts to demonize his perceived enemies, blame others for his failures, and create an us-versus-them dynamic. That, again, is the predictable act of the spoiled toddler. The media needs to call it out for what it is.
The sad part is that he seems to thrive on this kind of reaction. It fuels him. It gives him the attention he craves. Maybe, just maybe, the tide will start to turn when the press stops playing his game and starts to fight back, playing by a different set of rules.
We need to question his sanity. The way he views the press, as his employees who disseminate the narrative he wants, is dangerous. Imagine, someone with such disregard for truth having access to nuclear weapons.
The National Guard deployment is another thing entirely. The reporter was right to question his statements about the incident.
Trump’s behavior towards women is unacceptable, period. The days of treating this as normal or excusable are over. It’s time to stop the charade and start holding him accountable for his words and actions.
The press should not simply report the news. They should “be the news,” as they say. This type of incident is the precise moment when the press needs to make him the story. I have no doubt that he is aware of the way he comes across, the kind of person he projects himself to be.
The appropriate response should not be to back down. The appropriate response should be to counter his statements with equal or greater force.
This is not a matter of respect for the office. This is a matter of protecting the public from someone who appears to be losing control.