U.S. President Donald Trump denounced ABC News’ Mary Bruce as a “terrible reporter” on Tuesday (November 19, 2025) and threatened the network’s license to broadcast after she asked him three sharp questions at the White House.
The network’s chief White House correspondent was among reporters let into the Oval Office to question the President and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. She asked Mr. Trump whether it was appropriate for his family to be doing business in Saudi Arabia while he was President.
Before he could answer, she directed a question to the Saudi leader: “Your Royal Highness, the U.S. intelligence concluded that you orchestrated the brutal murder of a journalist. 9/11 families are furious that you are here in the Oval Office. Why should Americans trust you? And the same to you, Mr. President.”
After asking Ms. Bruce who she worked for, Mr. Trump called ABC “fake news” and defended his family’s business operations in Saudi Arabia.
The President dismissed the U.S. intelligence findings that the Prince likely had some culpability in the 2018 killing of Washington Post journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a critic of the Saudi kingdom. He said “a lot of people didn’t like” Khashoggi, a Saudi citizen and a Virginia resident.
