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Trump calls Reuters reporter ‘disgusting’ over questions on canceled Kansas rally

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 7 outlets across the spectrum.

9 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

President Donald Trump canceled a planned Saturday rally in Kansas for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, who faces a competitive reelection race, and said Marshall is ‘doing very well’. On Thursday, as he returned to Washington, Reuters White House correspondent Jacob Bogage asked whether the cancellation was because Trump was sick of traveling. Trump replied, “Oh, you’re sick to ask that question,” then called the reporter ‘disgusting’ and told him to ‘put yourself in shape, you look like hell.’ Trump said he feels perfect and would hold a tele-rally instead.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Trump canceled plans to attend a Saturday rally in Kansas for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall.

    Reported byFar Left3Center1Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, HuffPost, The Daily Beast
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    New York Post, Daily Mail

  2. Reuters White House correspondent Jacob Bogage asked Trump on Thursday whether the cancellation was because he was sick of traveling.

    Reported byFar Left3Center1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, HuffPost, The Daily Beast
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    Daily Mail

  3. Trump called the reporter ‘sick’ and ‘disgusting’ and told him he looked like hell.

    Reported byFar Left2Center1Right2See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    Raw Story, HuffPost
    Center
    PBS NewsHour
    Right
    New York Post, Daily Mail

  4. Trump said Marshall is doing very well and that he would hold a tele-rally instead of going to Kansas.

    Reported byFar Left1Center1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Far Left
    HuffPost
    Center
    PBS NewsHour

How each side tells it

Compare views

Every side reports that Trump canceled a Kansas rally for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall and called a Reuters reporter who asked whether he was sick of traveling ‘disgusting’. Left and right headlines focus on Trump’s weight and appearance, while the center’s AP-based report leads with his word for the reporter.

  • the left

    3 outlets

    Left headlines lead with Trump’s appearance and tone, such as sweating, tantrum and fat-shaming, with the Far Left outlets the most pointed in using words like unhinged and meltdown.

    Trump, Sensational language“Sweating Profusely”The headline stresses a physical detail in a way that feeds the health question rather than stating what happened.More neutral: Trump Responds to Reuters Reporter’s Question on Kansas TripDisagree with this highlight?, Tells Reuters Reporter: ‘You Look Like Hell’
    HuffPostFar LeftAll left-leaning headlines

  • the center

    2 outlets

    The only center coverage is an Associated Press report carried by PBS NewsHour, headlined on Trump calling the reporter disgusting, with the Kansas cancellation as context.

    WATCH: Trump calls reporter 'Sensational language“disgusting”Moral verdict in the reporter's voice.More neutral: (omit) and quote or describeThis appears inside a quotation. The outlet is reporting someone else’s words.Disagree with this highlight?' when questioned about not traveling to Kansas
    PBS NewsHourCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    2 outlets

    NY Post and Daily Mail headlines center on Trump ripping or unleashing against a reporter over his weight and age, with the Daily Mail calling it a vicious tirade.

    Trump Loaded verb“rips”The verb adds drama to a description of a spoken remark.More neutral: criticizesDisagree with this highlight? ‘way out of shape’ male reporter for asking about canceled Kansas trip: ‘You look like hell’
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left11

    lashed outtarmac tantrumSweating Profuselychides

  • Center1

    lambasted

  • Right5

    viciously mockedripsbody-shaming tiradeunleashes

In the outlets’ own words

  • Loaded verb

    lashed outMore neutral: criticized

    The verb adds a sense of outburst beyond the words the article reports.

    Soon after canceling a campaign event, President Donald Trump lashed out at a Reuters reporter who asked about his health, calling him “sick” and…

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    tarmac tantrumMore neutral: exchange with a reporter on a tarmac

    The word tantrum characterizes Trump’s conduct as childish before the reader reads the account.

    Trump throws tarmac tantrum over health question amid cancellation: 'You look like hell!'

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    Sweating ProfuselyMore neutral: Trump Responds to Reuters Reporter’s Question on Kansas Trip

    The headline stresses a physical detail in a way that feeds the health question rather than stating what happened.

    Trump, Sweating Profusely, Tells Reuters Reporter: ‘You Look Like Hell’

    Used byHuffPost (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    viciously mockedMore neutral: mocked

    The outlet’s own adverb judges the manner of Trump’s remark before the reader sees the words.

    WASHINGTON — President Trump viciously mocked a “way out of shape” male reporter on Thursday when the journalist asked him…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

Show 13 more phrasesShow fewer

  • Loaded verb

    ripsMore neutral: criticizes

    The verb adds drama to a description of a spoken remark.

    Trump rips ‘way out of shape’ male reporter for asking about canceled Kansas trip: ‘You look like…

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    chidesMore neutral: comments on

    The verb frames the host’s on-air remark as a rebuke rather than a comment.

    ‘Classy as always’: CNN’s Jake Tapper chides Trump's furious insult for reporter

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    furious insultMore neutral: remark

    The headline describes the remark as furious in the outlet’s own voice, which the reported words do not establish.

    ‘Classy as always’: CNN’s Jake Tapper chides Trump's furious insult for reporter

    Used byRaw Story (Far Left)

  • Loaded modifier

    body-shaming tiradeMore neutral: remarks about the reporter’s appearance

    The label characterizes the remark in the outlet’s own voice before the quoted words appear.

    President Donald Trump unleashed a body-shaming tirade at a reporter who asked him Thursday if he nixed a Kansas rally because he was…

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    unleashesMore neutral: says

    The verb presents the remark as an attack in the outlet’s own voice.

    Trump unleashes vicious tirade at 'dope' and 'out of shape' reporter who asked if he was 'sick' of…

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Sensational language

    vicious tiradeMore neutral: remarks

    The adjective and noun judge the remarks in the outlet’s own voice.

    Trump unleashes vicious tirade at 'dope' and 'out of shape' reporter who asked if he was 'sick' of travel: 'You…

    Used byDaily Mail (Right)

  • Sensational language

    unhingedMore neutral: angry

    The word presents Trump’s conduct as deranged rather than describing what he said or did.

    President Donald Trump has gone on an unhinged, fat-shaming tirade against a reporter who dared to ask if his last-second rally…

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    dared to askMore neutral: asked

    The phrase presents the reporter’s routine question as a transgression rather than a question about the president’s health.

    …Donald Trump has gone on an unhinged, fat-shaming tirade against a reporter who dared to ask if his last-second rally cancellations were tied to him being tired of traveling.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    midterm panic tourMore neutral: midterm campaign tour

    The word “panic” adds an unsupported emotional motive to the campaign schedule.

    …about his health and last-minute decision to cancel a trip to Kansas on his midterm panic tour.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Absolutist framing

    clearly struck a nerveMore neutral: asked about the president’s health

    The phrase presents Trump’s emotional reaction as obvious, which the article does not establish.

    A White House reporter clearly struck a nerve by asking about the president’s health.

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    Fat-ShamesMore neutral: Criticizes

    The verb assigns a motive and a category of conduct to Trump’s remark, where the reported words only describe his reply.

    Overweight Trump, 80, Fat-Shames Reporter in Unhinged Meltdown

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Sensational language

    Unhinged MeltdownMore neutral: Trump Responds to Reporter’s Question

    The words “unhinged” and “meltdown” describe Trump’s state of mind and conduct as extreme before the facts are set out.

    Overweight Trump, 80, Fat-Shames Reporter in Unhinged Meltdown

    Used byThe Daily Beast (Far Left)

  • Loaded verb

    lambastedMore neutral: criticized

    The verb signals a harsher attack than a plain description of the words used.

    President Donald Trump lambasted a reporter Thursday, calling him "disgusting," and telling him: "Put yourself in…

    Used byPBS NewsHour (Center)

Words quoted from someone else (1)Hide the quoted words

Loaded words that outlets reported someone else saying. They show what was said, not how the outlet chose to say it.

  • Sensational language

    Quoted

    disgustingMore neutral: (omit) and quote or describe

    Moral verdict in the reporter's voice.

    …out at a Reuters reporter who asked about his health, calling him “sick” and “disgusting” before abruptly ending an uncharacteristically brief press gaggle on an airport…

    Quoted byRaw Story (Far Left)HuffPost (Far Left)PBS NewsHour (Center)

    Inside a quotation: the outlets are reporting someone else’s words.

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

3 outlets

Leads with

  • Trump’s insults toward the reporter
  • Trump’s sweating and weight
  • Trump’s health
See the 3 headlines from the leftHide the headlines

From the center

2 outlets

Leads with

  • Trump calling the reporter disgusting
  • Trump’s replies on the health question
  • Canceled Kansas rally as background
See the 2 headlines from the centerHide the headlines
  • The BulwarkCenter

    Trump Explodes at Reporter Over One Simple Question

    Sam Stein joins Nicolle Wallace on MS NOW to give his take on Trump’s bizarre distractions, from defending his decorating skills and feuding with Bill Maher to obsessing over a D.C.

    Read at The Bulwark (opens in a new tab)
  • PBS NewsHourCenterAssociated Press report

    WATCH: Trump calls reporter 'Sensational language“disgusting”Moral verdict in the reporter's voice.More neutral: (omit) and quote or describeThis appears inside a quotation. The outlet is reporting someone else’s words.Disagree with this highlight?' when questioned about not traveling to Kansas

    A reporter from Reuters asked the president why he no longer plans to attend a rally in Kansas Saturday for Republican Sen. Roger Marshall, who is in a competitive reelection race.

    Read at PBS NewsHour (opens in a new tab)

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

  • Trump’s attacks on the reporter
  • The reporter’s weight and fitness
  • Trump’s age of 80
See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines
  • Daily MailRight

    Trump Loaded verb“unleashes”The verb presents the remark as an attack in the outlet’s own voice.More neutral: saysDisagree with this highlight? Sensational language“vicious tirade”The adjective and noun judge the remarks in the outlet’s own voice.More neutral: remarksDisagree with this highlight? at 'dope' and 'out of shape' reporter who asked if he was 'sick' of travel: 'You look like hell!'

    President Donald Trump unleashed a body-shaming tirade at a reporter who asked him Thursday if he nixed a Kansas rally because he was 'sick of travel.'

    Read at Daily Mail (opens in a new tab)
  • New York PostRight

    Trump Loaded verb“rips”The verb adds drama to a description of a spoken remark.More neutral: criticizesDisagree with this highlight? ‘way out of shape’ male reporter for asking about canceled Kansas trip: ‘You look like hell’

    Trump, 80, bristled at the suggestion that he was worn out from a rigorous travel schedule to boost Republicans in close congressional races

    Read at New York Post (opens in a new tab)

The stories you read build My Mix, a private picture of which sides cover the stories you choose, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

Who reported it when

How the coverage built up

  • Left

    First to report

    Raw Story, Oct 29, 5:56 PM EDT

  • Center

    1 hr 52 min later

    Its first report, Oct 29, 7:49 PM EDT

  • Right

    33 min later

    Its first report, Oct 29, 6:29 PM EDT

See the order the outlets reported inHide the order
  1. Raw StoryFar LeftOct 29, 5:56 PM EDT
  2. HuffPostFar LeftOct 29, 6:26 PM EDT
  3. New York PostRightOct 29, 6:29 PM EDT
  4. Daily MailRightOct 29, 6:41 PM EDT
  5. The Daily BeastFar LeftOct 29, 6:53 PM EDT
  6. PBS NewsHourCenterOct 29, 7:49 PM EDT
  7. The BulwarkCenterOct 29, 8:21 PM EDT

Times are the ones the outlets published in their own feeds, in Eastern time. Opinion is left out.

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