President Trump lashed out at CBS' Norah O'Donnell during a "60 Minutes" interview Sunday, calling her "disgraceful" after she raised comments from a manifesto allegedly written by the gunman at the White House Correspondents' Association dinner. The president accused O'Donnell of reading "crap from some sick person" and denied the allegations, stating: "I'm not a rapist. I didn't rape anybody."
The exchange came during a high-profile interview aired shortly after the shooting. O'Donnell pressed Trump on the suspect's apparent references to him, prompting a fiery response. Trump suggested the media was unfairly associating him with the attacker's claims, saying he was "totally exonerated" from related matters.
The president did not specify which allegations he was denying, but referenced unspecified associations with "Epstein or other things" — a remark aimed at his political opponents. O'Donnell emphasized that the manifesto's words were not her own, but Trump insisted she should not have read them on air.
The confrontation underscores deepening tensions between Trump and mainstream media outlets. It also raises questions about how journalists cover unverified or disturbing claims made by individuals linked to violent acts. The White House did not immediately comment further on the president's remarks.
Critics argue that presidential outbursts risk normalizing attacks on the press. Some media analysts note that fact-checking the manifesto's contents remains separate from reporting on its existence — a distinction blurred in heated exchanges.