A woman reporter dared challenge Donald Trump over his beloved ballroom’s ballooning budget and his response was the absolute essence of Trump
Another day, and another example of Donald Trump displaying his contempt for women, journalists, people of colour, and the truth – but not necessarily in that order.
When MS Now reporter Akayla Gardner pointed out that the cost of his beloved ballroom has ballooned, he reacted as he always does when women journalists do their job and try to hold him to account… with insults.
I asked @POTUS how the rising price of his ballroom (nearly x2 original estimate) and reflecting pool makeover (x7 original estimate) are any different than why he wanted to remove Fed Chair Jerome Powell for 30% cost overruns.
Here’s his response: pic.twitter.com/Qpm1VrBK61
— Akayla Gardner (@gardnerakayla) May 12, 2026
Donald Trump: We have a ballroom that’s under budget. It’s going up right here. I’ve doubled the size of it because we obviously need that.
Akayla Gardner: The price doubled.
DT: I doubled the size of it, you dumb person. You are not a smart person.
His outburst said much more about him than it did about her.
Ms Gardner wasn’t the only female reporter to cause a Trump meltdown. Watch this unpresidential response.
Q: Inflation is now at its highest level in 3 years. Are your policies not working?
TRUMP: My policies are working incredibly. If you go back to just before the war, inflation was at 1.7%. If you want to let these lunatics have a nuclear weapon, then you're a stupid person, and… pic.twitter.com/4FitkJIS1J
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 12, 2026
Despite the increasing regularity of ‘Trump vs Woman asking a reasonable question’ clips, the internet hasn’t accepted it as the norm.
Here’s what people had to say about it.
1.
So in case anybody’s counting, today he called not one, but two female reporters “stupid.”
He is going to continue to do this.
He’s going to start calling them far worse.
Because nobody fucking stops him. pic.twitter.com/UrhscinKor— Jo (@JoJoFromJerz) May 12, 2026
2.
I just want ONE reporter to say “Stop lying. You lie about everything” Is that too much to fucking ask? https://t.co/m4jLVCWGL1
— Jamie Bonkiewicz (@JamieBonkiewicz) May 12, 2026
3.
Once again, Trump berates and insults a female reporter. https://t.co/ZMeB5zHGfO
— Ron Filipkowski (@RonFilipkowski) May 12, 2026
4.
From $200 million, to $400 million, to now—$1 BILLION.
Under budget!
Trump math strikes again! https://t.co/CBy84bWncU
— MeidasTouch (@MeidasTouch) May 12, 2026
5.
Look at this fat toddler lashing out. He’s the shittiest president of all time and it’s not even close.
— jaqùe (@mr_fanksgiving) May 12, 2026
6.
Donald Trump is getting increasingly unhinged, and even some of his supporters are reluctantly starting to admit it.
When asked by a female reporter about the cost of his White House ballroom, Trump blew up:
“I doubled the size of it you dumb person. You are not a smart person” pic.twitter.com/0hTxDvbk7O
— Republicans against Trump (@RpsAgainstTrump) May 12, 2026
7.
When did we normalize this? When did it become okay for a president to tell a female reporter she’s a ‘dumb person’ for asking a totally legitimate question about his contradictory answers? Was there a specific date and time it become okay? Normal? Normalized? https://t.co/iv1ydBN1tR
— Mehdi Hasan (@mehdirhasan) May 13, 2026
8.
When a president says he needs a ballroom large enough for 1000 people, it’s time to ask that president what he thinks his job is…
— ᑎίChipPringle (@ChipPringle64) May 12, 2026
9.
He literally screamed “I DOUBLED THE SIZE OF IT YOU DUMB PERSON!” at a reporter just now.
What a shit show. https://t.co/pQy4s9iraQ
— Andrew—#IAmTheResistance (@AmoneyResists) May 12, 2026