THIS is the moment Donald Trump brutally shut down an ABC News reporter in a fiery sit-down interview to mark his 100th day back in the Oval Office.
In a stinging takedown during a tense and combative chat, former Nightline co-anchor Terry Moran was informed to his face that he had only secured the job because Trump was not familiar with him.
As Moran tried to fact-check him live, Trump snapped: “Don’t do that. You can’t do that. They’re giving you the big break of a lifetime.
“I picked you to do the interview because frankly, I’d never heard of you, but you’re not being very nice.”
The confrontation arose as the two engaged in a heated debate over Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a deported El Salvador native whom Trump alleges is a confirmed member of the MS-13 gang.
But Moran questioned the authenticity of a photo used by the US President to back his claim up.
Trump doubled down: “He had MS as clear as you can be. Not ‘interpreted.’
“This is why people no longer believe the news, because it’s fake news.”
When Moran pushed back, suggesting the infamous knuckle tattoos were photoshopped, Trump fired: “He’s got MS-13 on his knuckles. Okay?”
He then blasted: “You do such a disservice. Why don’t you just say, ‘Yes, he does,’ and, you know, go on to something else?”
The pair’s on-camera bust-up didn’t stop there.
Moran, attempting to switch topics, raised the issue of the war in Ukraine, but it prompted another slapdown from the president.
Asked if he still believed Vladimir Putin “wants peace”, Trump barked: “His dream was to take over the whole country.
“Because of me, he’s not going to do that … you start hitting me with fake questions. You’re being dishonest.
“I don’t trust you. I don’t trust, I don’t trust a lot of people. I don’t trust you. Look at you. You come in all shootin’ for bear.
“You’re so happy to do the interview and then you start hitting me with fake questions,” Trump raged, circling back again to the Garcia photo.
Trump later mocked Moran for asking whether he had “100 per cent confidence” in his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth amid turmoil at the Pentagon.
“I don’t have a hundred percent confidence in anything, OK? Anything. Do I have a hundred percent? It’s a stupid question,” he fired.
Moran retorted by highlighting the significance of his position, prompting Trump to counter with a bold statement, “Only a liar would say, ‘I have a hundred percent confidence.’ I don’t have a hundred percent confidence that we’re gonna finish this interview.”
The ABC reporter tried to lighten the mood with a “We will”, but the president didn’t bite, instead praising Hegseth as “a talented guy… smart, highly educated,” after giving him what he called a “serious talk”.
Trump also reaffirmed his commitment to sweeping international tariffs despite a volatile stock market and public backlash, defending the economic pain as a necessary “transition period.”
“Well, they did sign up for it, actually,” Trump told Moran after being pressed on voters who feared they didn’t bargain for the chaos.
“I could’ve left it that way, and at some point, there would’ve been an implosion like nobody’s ever seen. But I said, ‘No, we have to fix it.’ I’ve – I’ve wanted to do this for many years.”
I picked you to do the interview because frankly, I’d never heard of you
Donald Trump
“Since I came in, gasoline is down, groceries are down, egg prices are down,” he added. “Many things are down, just about everything.”
The interview hit more raw nerves when Moran suggested America’s global reputation had slipped.
Trump went on to blast his predecessor Biden, saying: “We were laughed at all over the world.
“We had a president that couldn’t walk up a flight of stairs, couldn’t walk down a flight of stairs, couldn’t walk across a stage without falling.
“We had a president that was grossly incompetent.”
“You knew it, I knew it, and everybody knew it. But you guys didn’t want to write it because you’re fake news and, by the way, ABC is one of the worst. I have to be honest with you,” he said.
Moran replied coolly: “Thank you for the opinion. But more importantly, thank you for having us here.”
The pair exchanged a frosty “thank you” to wrap up the sit-down.
What next for Trump?
AS Donald Trump reflects on his first 100 days in office, his agenda for the future remains ambitious.
Key priorities include advancing his “America First” policies, with a focus on immigration reform, economic growth, and energy independence.
Trump has signalled plans to intensify border security measures, including completing the border wall, and to push for tax cuts aimed at stimulating business investment.
On the international stage, Trump is pushing to resolve the Ukraine war through a controversial peace plan, pressuring Kyiv to cede occupied territories, including Crimea, and abandon NATO aspirations, in exchange for a ceasefire.
He is aiming to renegotiate trade deals through his sweeping tariffs and strengthen alliances while maintaining a hardline stance on countries like China and Iran.
Domestically, expect continued efforts to reshape federal agencies, reduce regulations, and appoint loyalists to key positions.
With midterms looming, Trump’s ability to unify Republicans and appeal to moderates will be critical to sustaining momentum.
His next moves will likely set the tone for 2026 and beyond.
