Trump unloads on CBS reporter Norah O’Donnell during Hannity interview, calls her ‘stupid person’

BEIJING, CHINA: President Donald Trump aimed at veteran CBS News correspondent Norah O'Donnell during a wide-ranging interview with Sean Hannity, reviving frustrations over a tense television interview that clearly remained on his mind weeks later.

Speaking from Beijing during his high-profile diplomatic trip to China, Trump interrupted his conversation with Hannity to revisit his contentious ‘60 Minutes’ sit-down with O’Donnell, criticizing the journalist’s questioning style and dismissing her as 'a stupid person.'

Trump revisits contentious CBS interview during Hannity appearance

During the interview, Hannity praised Trump’s handling of difficult media interviews and referenced his recent appearance on CBS’s ‘60 Minutes,’ where O’Donnell repeatedly pressed the president on inflation, the Iran conflict, and domestic spending.

“Let me go to the issue of trade, tariffs, intellectual property theft,” Hannity said before referring to the coterie of American business executives accompanying Trump to China.

“I’m sure, especially with all those big business people you brought in, any progress you can report?”

The president responded with a digression attacking O’Donnell.

“Yeah, I mean, it is progress, but I also tell people that, you know, I was in an interview with a very bad, you know, stupid reporter.”

The president appeared especially irritated by questions surrounding the economy and his administration’s foreign policy decisions.

“She works for CBS. You saw that 60 minutes. Stupid person. Just an average person. You could take anybody off the street, and it’d be as good as she is.”

The CBS interview itself had already drawn significant attention because of several combative exchanges between Trump and O’Donnell, who repeatedly challenged the president on policy details during the broadcast.

Trump’s media clashes continue amid major political battles

Trump’s criticism of O’Donnell also fits into his broader pattern of aggressively confronting reporters and news organizations he believes treat him unfairly.

“You know, very average. And she asked me a question. She talked about China, this and that. They steal this, and they steal that. I said, 'We do it to them too, you know? They spy on us, and we spy on them too, I guess, you know?'”

“So, some people thought that was cute. Other people said, 'You don’t have to say that.' I said, 'I sort of do.'”

Trump’s remarks on Hannity’s program underscored how deeply some of those exchanges appeared to linger with him even weeks later.

During the '60 Minutes' interview, O’Donnell cited remarks from Cole Tomas Allen, the alleged gunman who stormed the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, which Trump was hastily escorted out of by Secret Service. Her line of questioning clearly irritated the president.

“Well, I was waiting for you to read that, because I knew you would, because you’re horrible people. Horrible people,” Trump replied.

Still, even while navigating major international negotiations in Beijing, Trump showed he had little interest in toning down his familiar combative style with the press.