Who is Mary Bruce? Trump berates ABC reporter, threatens to pull network license days after mocking Bloomberg reporter

President Donald Trump slammed ABC News and its reporter, Mary Bruce, at the White House on Tuesday, November 18. 

The journalist was among those allowed inside the Oval Office to interact with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and the POTUS. Trump called Bruce a terrible reporter and threatened to pull the network's license. The president denied the journalist a chance to ask anything else after lambasting her over previous questions to him and the guest.  

Mary Bruce is the Washington, DC-based Chief White House Correspondent for ABC News. She joined the network in 2006 as a desk assistant and became a segment producer for This Week with George Stephanopoulos. Working on the show, Bruce contributed by producing the 2008 presidential candidates, while also working on the ABC presidential debates. 

In the following years, she became a White House producer and digital journalist, covering Barack Obama’s re-election campaign. Mary Bruce also served as ABC News’ Congressional Correspondent and Senior Congressional Correspondent before becoming Senior White House Correspondent in 2021. 

Previously, Bruce covered the 2020 US presidential election, the Biden Administration, and the 2022 midterm elections. According to Next TV, she became the network’s Chief White House Correspondent in April 2023, after succeeding Cecilia Vega. 

According to Bruce's ABC News profile, her work has featured on Good Morning America, World News Tonight with David Muir, Nightline, and 20/20. 

Trump attacks Mary Bruce and ABC News over questions about Saudi Arabia, 9/11, Epstein, and the Khashoggi assassination

Following a bilateral meeting on Tuesday, correspondents were let in to ask questions to Donald Trump and Mohammed bin Salman. Mary Bruce, representing ABC News, asked a multi-part question to both personalities. 

She questioned Trump about his family’s business operations in Saudi Arabia, citing it as a potential conflict of interest. At the same time, Bruce also asked the Saudi Crown Prince and the president: 

“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 Mary Bruce told the president that she was with ABC News, Trump mocked her response by calling the network “Fake News, ABC Fake News,” and described it as “one of the worst in the business.” He defended his family’s business operations in Saudi Arabia and denied any involvement in the same. 

Trump also addressed the question about the 2018 Khashoggi assassination and refuted the US intelligence findings, as he said: 

“You're mentioning somebody that was extremely controversial. A lot of people didn't like that gentleman, that you're talking about. Whether you like him or didn't like him, things happen, but he knew nothing about it and we can leave it at that. You don't have to embarrass Our Guest by asking. A question like that.” 

Saudi Crown Prince also described Jamal Khashoggi’s killing as “painful” and “a huge mistake.” Later, Mary Bruce asked another question about Epstein, which garnered a stern response from Trump. The president berated the journalist: 

“It's not the question that I'm on, it's your attitude. I think you are a terrible reporter. It's the way you ask these questions. You start off with a man who is highly respected, asking him a horrible, insubordinate and and just a terrible question, and you could even ask that same exact question nicely.” 

He attacked ABC and Mary Bruce, questioning their coverage of the Epstein Files, while naming the likes of Bill Clinton, Larry Summers, Andrew Weissmann, for their alleged connection to the disgraced financier. Trump denied having anything to do with Jeffrey Epstein and called his case a Democrat hoax. 

The president also threatened to pull ABC News’ license while accusing the network of reporting fake news. He said: 

“I'll tell you something. I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and it's so wrong, and we have a great commissioner, the chairman who should look at that because I think when you come in and when you're 97% negative to Trump, and then Trump wins the election in a landslide. That means obviously your news is not credible, and you're not credible as a reporter, so I've answered your question.” 

He reiterated that ABC News should “look at the Democrats who received money from Epstein.” Trump mentioned Larry Summers again, who has recently been under fire after the cache of his email exchanges with Epstein surfaced after the House Oversight Committee’s recent release. He concluded his rant with: 

“You ought to go back and learn how to be a reporter. No more from you.” 

Trump also faced criticism recently when he called a Bloomberg reporter, Catherine Lucey, “piggy.” The president and journalists were aboard Air Force One when Lucey questioned the release of the remaining Epstein Files. Trump told the reporter to be “quiet, piggy,” while continuing to respond to others.