Donald Trump repeatedly shouted “not you” at ABC News reporter Rachel Scott before calling her and her network “the worst” when she challenged him over his latest promise of cash payments to American voters.
The confrontation happened on an airport tarmac in Dallas after Trump attended the Republican Party’s midterm convention.
Scott had asked why the president needed to promise every American adult $5,000 if Republicans retained control of Congress when he claimed his economic policies were already succeeding.
She then attempted to question Trump about earlier cash payments he had proposed but failed to deliver.
Rather than address the follow-up, Trump leaned towards Scott, pointed at her and angrily prevented her from continuing.
The question that triggered Trump’s outburst
Trump announced at the Republican convention that every adult US citizen would receive a $5,000 “Trump dividend” if Republicans retained both the House and Senate in November’s midterm elections.
Speaking to reporters the following evening, Scott raised the US national debt, which has now passed $40 trillion, before asking:
“If your economic policies are working, why do you need an incentive for people to turn out and vote?”
Trump denied that the proposed payment was intended to increase Republican turnout. He instead described it as a reward for Americans who had endured the previous Biden administration.
As Scott attempted to continue, she referred to Trump’s previous proposal for “tariff refund checks” that never arrived.
The president interrupted:
“Not you!”
Scott persisted with the question, prompting Trump to repeat the order several times while pointing towards another journalist.
He then told her:
“Your network and you, you’re the worst.”
Trump subsequently accepted a question from a male reporter.
Scott later shared the exchange on her @rachelvscott account with the caption:
“My question to Trump tonight –”
The $5,000 proposal faces enormous obstacles
The president’s anger did not answer the substance of Scott’s question.
Trump has made the payment explicitly dependent on Republicans winning the midterm elections, promising to send the money only if his party retains control of both chambers of Congress.
The proposal would cost approximately $1.2 trillion if every adult US citizen received the full amount, according to a Reuters analysis.
Vice President JD Vance has suggested that wealthy Americans may be excluded and that tariff revenue could fund the payments. However, no income threshold has been announced.
The Congressional Budget Office estimated that the government had collected $167 billion in tariff revenue during the current financial year when Reuters examined the proposal. That is only a fraction of the money required.
Any nationwide payment would also need to be authorised by Congress. Trump has not produced legislation, a detailed funding plan or a timetable for distributing the money.
Republicans already control both chambers, although they would struggle to overcome Democratic opposition in the Senate without using a specialist budget procedure.
Previous promised payments never arrived
Scott’s follow-up referred to Trump’s history of announcing similar payments without ultimately delivering them.
In November 2025, he proposed a tariff-funded dividend of at least $2,000 for most Americans. No direct payments were made and no legislation was enacted to establish the scheme.
Trump also supported the idea of using a share of savings supposedly generated by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency to provide Americans with payments of up to $5,000.
Those “DOGE dividend” cheques never materialised either.
A CBS News examination of the new pledge found that the president does not appear to have the constitutional authority to distribute the money without congressional approval.
This made Scott’s question especially relevant: if the money is affordable and justified now, Trump has not explained why it should depend on the result of an election taking place in November.
Viewers react to Trump’s behaviour
The footage spread rapidly after Scott published it, with viewers focusing on Trump’s sudden change in manner as she attempted to press him.
The confrontation was not Trump’s first hostile encounter with Scott.
During a 2024 appearance at the National Association of Black Journalists convention, he described her as “rude” and “nasty” after she asked about his previous remarks concerning Black politicians and journalists.
Trump has also repeatedly made personal comments about other women covering his administration.
In November 2025, he told Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey “quiet, piggy” when she questioned him about Jeffrey Epstein. The White House subsequently defended the president’s conduct, describing him as candid with reporters, as Reuters reported.
In February 2026, Trump told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that he did not believe he had ever seen her smile after she questioned him about the Epstein files. He then accused her of dishonesty and attacked her network.
The latest exchange has attracted particular attention because of how quickly Trump’s manner changed when Scott attempted to challenge his answer.
The argument over whether his $5,000 promise is affordable will continue. The question of why the payment has been made conditional on a Republican election victory remains unanswered.
Joe Connor is a UK-based reporter specialising in politics, public policy, and national affairs. He has previously contributed to publications including The London Economic (JOE Media Group) and Spotted News.
At The Daily Britain, he covers Westminster politics, elections, and breaking political developments, alongside in-depth analysis of policy decisions and their real-world impact.
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