- The claim that U.S. President Donald Trump called ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott a b**** is unproven.
- The rumor stems from a May 7, 2026, video showing Trump delivering remarks and answering journalists' questions after visiting the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to view work being performed on the pool.
- This claim lacked definitive evidence. Trump did not appear to call Scott a "b****." Our review of a high-quality video appears to show Trump's lips mouthing movements more consistent with the words, "He's a big shot."
- Snopes will update this report if additional details surface, including what Trump said and to whom he was speaking. We have reached out to ABC News and the White House and await responses.
In May 2026, social media users claimed U.S. President Donald Trump called ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott a b****, pointing to a video recorded during Trump's visit to the Lincoln Memorial to view progress on his administration's project to paint the reflecting pool blue. During the excursion, he stopped to deliver remarks about the project and to field reporters' questions.
For example, on May 7, an X user posted (archived) a video of Trump supposedly saying the expletive, along with another user's clip showing Trump calling Scott "one of the worst reporters" and saying her question was "stupid." The former user's caption claimed Trump "called this same reporter, Rachel Scott of ABC, a 'b****.'"
In sum, this claim lacked definitive evidence. Trump did not appear to call Scott a "b****." Our review of a high-quality version of the video, beginning at the 13:59 mark, appears to show Trump's lips mouthing movements more consistent with the words, "He's a big shot."
However, since we couldn't definitively confirm what Trump said or to whom he was speaking, we've left this claim unrated until we receive further information.
As Trump says the words — whatever they may have been — he points forward and slightly toward the camera in a direction that doesn't match Scott's position. This contrasts with the earlier exchange, where Trump turned to his right to listen and respond to Scott, who was standing to the left of the camera.
The Getty Images website hosts a photo confirming Scott stood four people to the left of the camera operator. The 2:09:40 mark of an ABC News Live YouTube video from earlier on the same day confirmed Scott wore the pink outfit shown in the photo.
(Anna Moneymaker accessed via Getty Images)
Snopes emailed ABC News and the White House to ask if either wished to respond to users' claims about Trump calling Scott a slur or to generally address the matter. We will update this article if we receive further information.
Scott did not mention the alleged slur in a video she shared on Instagram and TikTok, instead describing the "unexpected trip" and showing her question with Trump's answer.
In an X post, Scott shared a clip of her question and Trump's answer, adding, "I asked the president why focus on these projects now amid the backdrop of the war in Iran and as gas prices soar. He said the question was 'stupid' and a 'disgrace to the country' saying he's 'fixing' the reflecting pool."
Additional research
Numerous users promoted the claim, including on Instagram (archived), Reddit (archived) X (archived), for example.
One YouTube user with a popular video falsely suggested in a thumbnail image that Trump pointed at a white female reporter and said, "You are a b****." Scott is Black.
Trump and Scott previously made headlines in July 2024 during an event involving Black journalists. During the discussion, Trump said he believed Scott asked her question in "such a horrible manner" and also called it "a very rude introduction."
For further reading, we previously reported on another rumor involving ABC News alleged anchor David Muir snapped on air.
Sources:
Getty Images. https://www.gettyimages.com/.
"LIVE: Trump Addresses Media Near Renovated Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool | AC1G." YouTube, DWS News, 7 May 2026, https://www.youtube.com/live/1bSi8LjzZxE.
"President Trump Visits National Mall Reflecting Pool." C-SPAN, 7 May 2026, https://www.c-span.org/program/white-house-event/president-trump-visits-national-mall-reflecting-pool/678860.
Superville, Darlene. "Trump Drives across Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool to Inspect New Blue Coating He's Putting on It." The Associated Press, 8 May 2026, https://apnews.com/article/trump-lincoln-memorial-reflecting-pool-blue-visit-214814ea23ae9412093167e49bbc20e8.
"Trump Chastises Black Reporter for 'Rude' Opening Question." YouTube, Washington Post, 31 July 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FJKlb7kt108.
Wall, Craig, and Maher Kawash. "Donald Trump Appearance at NABJ Convention in Chicago Draws Protests as He Insults Journalists." ABC7 Chicago, 31 July 2024, https://abc7chicago.com/post/donald-trump-appearance-nabj-convention-chicago-draws-protests-he-insults-journalists-questions-kamala-harris-race/15128473/.
