President Donald Trump falsely denied making a statement he had made on camera just days earlier, then launched a personal attack against the reporter who accurately quoted his own words back to him. The incident occurred at the White House on Monday, Dec. 8, and involved video footage from a September 2 military strike in the Caribbean.
The controversy centers on whether Trump would release video of a follow-up strike against a suspected drug boat off the Venezuela coast. The military conducted an initial strike on the vessel, then carried out a second strike to kill survivors of the first attack. While the Trump administration publicly released video of the initial strike, the footage of the follow-up strike has only been shown to members of Congress behind closed doors.
On Dec. 3, ABC News reporter Selina Wang asked Trump at the White House whether he would release the video so Americans could see what happened. Trump said he would release whatever video existed.
On Dec. 8, another ABC News reporter, Rachel Scott, attempted to ask Trump about the potential video release. When Scott noted that Trump had said he would have no problem releasing the full video of the September strike, the president immediately denied making such a statement.
Trump told Scott that he didn’t say that and called it ABC fake news. The reporter correctly noted that he had in fact said he would have no problem releasing the video, then pivoted to ask whether he was ordering Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth to make the footage public. Hegseth has said the question of releasing the video is under review.
Trump responded that whatever Hegseth decides is acceptable to him. When Scott interjected to return to the issue of releasing the video, Trump called her “the most obnoxious reporter in the whole place.” The personal attack came despite Scott having accurately quoted the president’s own words from days earlier.
Another ABC News journalist, Jonathan Karl, defended his colleague on social media, confirming that Scott “quoted President Trump accurately.”
The September military strikes occurred in Caribbean waters off the coast of Venezuela. The decision to release video of the initial strike while keeping the follow-up footage classified has raised questions about transparency and public accountability.
Congressional members who have viewed the classified footage behind closed doors have not publicly commented on its contents. The Defense Department’s review of whether to release the video remains ongoing, with no timeline announced for a final decision.
Trump’s denial of his own recorded statements comes as his administration faces scrutiny over its relationship with the press. The president has frequently attacked news organizations he views as critical of his policies, often labeling unfavorable coverage as fake news despite its accuracy.
The exchange between Trump and Scott exemplifies the challenges journalists face when reporting on an administration that sometimes contradicts its own previous statements. Video evidence of Trump’s earlier comments leaves no ambiguity about what he said regarding the potential release of the strike footage.
As of now, the Trump administration has not clarified whether it will ultimately release the video of the follow-up strike. The president’s statement that the decision rests with Hegseth suggests he may be distancing himself from the controversy while maintaining the option to intervene if the defense secretary decides against public release.