In a combative primetime interview marking his 100th day back in the White House, President Donald Trump took direct aim at ABC News correspondent Terry Moran, branding his line of questioning “stupid” and accusing the network of ignoring what he claims is former President Joe Biden’s cognitive decline.
The interview, aired Tuesday, quickly turned contentious when Moran asked Trump whether he had “taken [Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth] to the woodshed” over recent controversies involving the Pentagon.
Hegseth, a former Fox News host, has come under scrutiny for his use of the encrypted Signal app for official communication and the upheaval within the Department of Defense, which recently saw several top aides dismissed.
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“I had a talk with him, and whatever I said, I probably wouldn’t be inclined to tell you, but we had a good talk,” Trump said, defending Hegseth. He went on to praise the embattled defense chief as “young, brilliant, intelligent, and highly educated,” insisting that Hegseth “is going to be a very excellent defense secretary.”
“Stupid question”: Trump rebukes confidence query
The exchange escalated when Moran asked the president if he had complete confidence in Hegseth. Trump shot back sharply:
“I don’t have 100% confidence in anything, okay? Anything. Do I have 100’%? It’s a stupid question.”
Trump’s testy demeanor continued throughout the segment, particularly when Moran pressed him on issues of credibility and leadership.
Biden’s fitness in the spotlight
The president pivoted quickly to attack his predecessor, Joe Biden, when Moran asked about America’s global reputation under Trump’s leadership.
“No. I think it’s gone way up. I think we’re a respected country again. We were laughed at all over the world,” Trump replied, suggesting Biden had diminished U.S. prestige abroad.
Trump then launched into a familiar critique of Biden’s physical and cognitive state.
“We had a president who couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs, couldn’t walk down a flight of stairs, couldn’t walk across the stage without falling,” he said. He added, “grossly incompetent” in describing Biden, a frequent target of his stump speech rhetoric.
Trump slams ABC News: “One of the worst”
Taking aim at the network itself, Trump accused ABC News of refusing to report honestly on Biden’s alleged decline.
“You knew it, I knew it, and everybody knew it, but you guys didn’t wanna write it because you’re fake news. By the way, ABC is one of the worst. I have to be honest with you,” he told Moran.
In an especially pointed moment, Trump dismissed the journalist altogether:
“I’ve never heard of you,” he said. “I picked you because, frankly, I never heard of you, but that’s OK. But you’re not being very nice.”
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Defiant tone underscores Trump’s return
The interview marked Trump’s most high-profile media appearance since reassuming office, and his tone echoed the combative approach that defined his previous term. He continues to frame his administration as a corrective to the Biden era, while casting the press as an adversarial force unwilling to acknowledge what he sees as clear national failings under Democratic leadership.
Despite the political theater, questions remain about the internal discord within the Pentagon and how Hegseth will navigate growing scrutiny. Trump’s firm defense of his appointee may reassure some supporters, but it also underscores the growing pressure facing his administration just 100 days in.
The White House did not immediately respond to follow-up inquiries regarding Hegseth’s future or the president’s comments about ABC News.
