Former President Donald Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt sharply criticized CBS News anchor Margaret Brennan during a Friday interview with the Daily Caller, according to the outlet.
The exchange came as Trump discussed his recent settlement with Paramount, the parent company of CBS. Trump had accused the network of election interference over a disputed 60 Minutes interview with then-Vice President Kamala Harris.
Trump used the interview to broaden his criticism of CBS, including comments about veteran anchor Norah O’Donnell.
“Pay her $12 million a year, and she’s not going to be there very long,” Trump said, according to the Daily Caller. “But if she’s not already out, I mean, she’s pretty close, I would say she’s pretty close.”
## Trump and Leavitt Focus on Brennan
Trump then turned to Brennan, the moderator of Face the Nation.
“The woman on Face the Nation is so bad,” Trump said, according to the report.
When Trump asked Leavitt for her view, she responded bluntly: “She’s stupid. You can put that on the record.”
Trump added, “She’s nasty.”
The remarks were also circulated on X by conservative commentator Eric Daugherty, who posted a clip and quoted the exchange.
## Rubio Interview Draws Trump’s Praise
Despite criticizing Brennan, Trump praised Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s handling of a recent interview with her.
“He handled her,” Trump said, according to the Daily Caller.
Trump also described Rubio’s recurring appearances on the Sunday program as a sign of political skill, saying Rubio appears because “he’s good and he’s smart.”
## A Familiar Fight With the Press
The comments fit a long-running pattern of Trump publicly clashing with major news organizations and prominent television journalists.
Supporters often view those confrontations as pushback against media bias. Critics argue they are attacks on journalists and mainstream news institutions.
The source material does not include any response from Brennan, CBS News, Paramount, O’Donnell, or Rubio regarding the latest remarks.
