Trump tells journalists to shut up, calls Obama’s claim that a world led by women would be better ‘ridiculous’

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President Donald Trump asked a female reporter to remain “quiet” during his latest tense exchange with the press, then separately rejected the idea that women govern better than men, calling it “ridiculous.”

The 80-year-old president made the remarks Saturday while speaking to reporters outside the White House before leaving for a college football game in Tennessee.

A reporter asked Trump if he wanted only media outlets that “support” him to be included in the White House press pool after he banned CNN, MS NOW and Politico from the White House last week. A federal judge blocked that move on Thursday, but Trump banned CNN from Air Force One on Saturday and replaced the channel with LindellTV.

“No, no,” Trump replied. “I want real news, not fake news like you. Look, I want real news. I like an open, free press. What I don’t like is the fake press.”

Trump went on to claim that CNN and MS NOW had low ratings. When the same reporter, Akayla Gardner of MS NOW, followed by asking, “Don’t you want any tough questions?” » Trump cut him off.

“Wait, be quiet,” Trump said, raising his index finger. “What I don’t like is fake news. And it’s fake news.”

Trump has long had a combative relationship with the press, accusing journalists of biased and unfair coverage. He also made personal insults to journalists and suggested that some of them be punished.

His attacks often targeted female journalists. In June, he attacked CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins, saying she had “hate in her eyes” and “I never see a smile.” He previously called Collins “stupid and mean” after she questioned him about the White House ballroom.

Last November, Trump told a Bloomberg reporter, “Calm down, pig,” when she tried to ask about Jeffrey Epstein. The White House responded to the remark by saying that Trump was “very frank and honest with everyone.”

Trump was also asked Saturday morning about comments made this week by former President Barack Obama about women in government.

“If you put women in charge of every government for about two years and then see how things go, I firmly believe that things would be – they wouldn’t be perfect – but they would be better,” Obama said Monday.

“It’s ridiculous,” Trump said. “I love women. I think they’re great. But what a ridiculous statement.”

Trump also addressed a number of other issues. He said the United States would not put “brakes” on the development of artificial intelligence, which he again called “super intelligence.”

He separately urged Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to “make a deal” to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and claimed the United States had “full control” of the Strait of Hormuz.