Donald Trump had a remarkably simple question to answer Thursday night. Instead, he erupted at the reporter asking it.
ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott pressed Trump over his promise to give Americans a $5,000 “dividend” if Republicans maintain control of Congress in the upcoming midterm elections. Trump announced the proposal Wednesday, saying the payments would come because of what he described as his administration’s economic success.
Scott’s question was straightforward: If Trump’s economic policies are working as well as he claims, why would he need to offer voters a $5,000 payment to turn out?
“If your economic policies are working, why do you need an incentive for people to turn out to vote?” Scott asked.
Trump’s answer did not exactly address the question.
“I didn’t do it for turning out the vote,” he said. “I did it as a reward for people having to put up with five years and four years of horrible, a horrible situation caused by Biden.”
Trump then launched into another round of attacks on former President Joe Biden, insisting the proposed payment would be “almost a reward” for Americans who had endured Biden’s policies.
But Scott wasn’t finished.
She followed up by pointing out that Trump had previously promised Americans tariff-refund checks that never materialized.
That was apparently enough.
“Not you! Not you!” Trump snapped.
Scott continued trying to ask her question as Trump leaned toward her and repeated himself.
“Hey! Not you! Your network and you, you’re the worst,” Trump told her before moving on to another reporter.
It was a striking reaction to a very ordinary question about a very extraordinary promise.
Trump has repeatedly floated direct payments to Americans during his political career. He previously promoted “DOGE dividends” of up to $5,000, and in 2025 said Americans could receive $2,000 tariff-rebate checks. Those payments have not been delivered.
The latest proposal would also be enormously expensive if every eligible adult received $5,000. Estimates have put the potential cost at more than $1 trillion, while Vice President JD Vance has indicated that wealthy Americans could be excluded.
Trump has a long record of attacking journalists who ask questions he dislikes, including women covering his administration.
He has called New York Times reporter Katie Rogers “ugly,” repeatedly attacked Times reporter Maggie Haberman with personal insults, and lashed out at ABC’s Mary Bruce after she asked what he called a “horrible” question.
He has also famously told Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey, “Quiet, piggy!” and repeatedly attacked CNN’s Kaitlan Collins.
Scott herself has been on the receiving end before. During a 2024 interview, Trump attacked her as “rude” and “nasty” after she questioned him about remarks he had made concerning race.
Thursday night’s exchange followed the familiar pattern. A reporter asks a pointed but basic question, Trump declines to directly answer it, and the conversation quickly turns into an attack on the person asking.
Watch the clip below:
