Trump Clashes With ABC Reporter in Heated Exchange Before Boarding Air Force One in Dallas

President Donald Trump sharply confronted ABC News correspondent Rachel Scott after she questioned his proposed $5,000 payments to Americans, creating a tense exchange on the airport tarmac.

DALLAS, Texas — September 10, 2026 — President Donald Trump became visibly confrontational with ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott while speaking with reporters before departing Dallas aboard Air Force One Thursday night.

The confrontation occurred at Dallas Fort Worth International Airport after Trump attended the Republican National Committee’s midterm convention, where he sought to rally voters ahead of November’s congressional elections.

Scott questioned Trump about his newly announced proposal to provide a $5,000 payment to American adults if Republicans retain control of both chambers of Congress following the midterm elections.

She asked why such a financial incentive would be necessary if the administration’s economic policies were already succeeding, a question that prompted Trump to reject the characterization of his proposal.

Trump said the proposed payment was not intended to encourage voter turnout, describing it instead as a reward for Americans who, he argued, had endured damaging policies under former President Joe Biden.

When Scott attempted to continue questioning him, Trump repeatedly interrupted her, pointed in her direction and told her, “Not you,” while moving closer toward the correspondent during the tense exchange.

Video of the encounter showed Trump leaning toward Scott as she attempted another question, before the president again stopped her and indicated that he wanted to hear from another reporter.

Scott then tried to raise Trump’s earlier proposal for $2,000 tariff-related rebate payments, which had generated questions about whether promised payments would ultimately be delivered to American households.

Trump again refused to take the follow-up and criticized both Scott and ABC News, telling the correspondent that she and her television network were “the worst.”

ABC News subsequently defended Scott and its Washington reporting team, saying its journalists continued to provide straightforward reporting while standing behind the correspondent following the highly publicized encounter.

 

 

The confrontation came one day after Trump announced the proposed $5,000 “Trump dividend” during the Republican midterm convention, making the payment one of the event’s most closely scrutinized policy promises.

Trump told supporters at the convention that Americans would receive the payments if Republicans maintained congressional control, although significant questions remained about eligibility, funding and whether congressional authorization would be required.

Vice President JD Vance later indicated wealthy Americans would not receive the payment, according to Business Insider, introducing an eligibility limitation that was not initially clear when Trump announced the proposal.

Estimates cited in subsequent reporting suggested payments of that size could cost more than $1 trillion, depending on eligibility rules, immediately raising questions about financing and the federal government’s existing debt burden.

The Dallas gathering was designed to place Trump at the center of the Republican campaign ahead of the November 3 midterms, with the president urging supporters to treat him as effectively on the ballot.

 

 

 

The airport confrontation also renewed attention on Trump’s long-running contentious relationship with ABC News and Scott, whom he has repeatedly criticized during press conferences and other encounters with journalists.

In previous exchanges, Trump has called Scott a “horror show” and “the most obnoxious reporter,” criticism that has frequently followed her questions about administration policies and politically sensitive issues.

The White House has previously defended Trump’s combative approach toward reporters, arguing that the president speaks frankly with journalists and aggressively challenges coverage that he considers inaccurate or politically biased.

The Dallas exchange came at the end of a two-day Texas visit that included convention appearances and other events before Trump traveled to the airport for his return to Washington.

Trump’s trip to Dallas had itself begun with an unusual delay after an emergency slide on Air Force One was accidentally activated at Joint Base Andrews shortly before his departure for Texas.

The aircraft ultimately departed without further difficulty, and Trump arrived in Dallas Wednesday afternoon before participating in the Republican convention and continuing his political push ahead of the approaching midterm elections.

By Thursday night, however, attention had shifted from the convention stage to Trump’s confrontation with Scott, as footage of their exchange circulated widely and renewed debate over presidential interactions with the press