President Donald Trump launched into a fierce attack against ABC News correspondent Jonathan Karl during a White House exchange on Tuesday. The confrontation happened after Karl questioned the president about Attorney General Pam Bondi’s recent controversial comments regarding hate speech prosecutions.
The heated moment began when Karl asked Trump about Bondi’s statements on cracking down on hate speech following the assassination of Turning Point USA founder Charlie Kirk. Karl specifically questioned whether Trump agreed with critics who argued that hate speech should be protected as free speech.
According to Fox News, Trump’s response was swift and personal. “She’ll probably go after people like you, because you treat me so unfairly,” the president said, speaking over Karl. “You have a lot of hate in your heart. Maybe they will come after ABC. ABC paid me $16 million recently for a form of hate speech. Your company paid me $16 million for a form of hate speech, so maybe they will have to go after you.”
Trump references ABC settlement over defamation case
The president was referring to the recent settlement of his defamation lawsuit against ABC News. The case centered on comments made by anchor George Stephanopoulos during an interview last year. Stephanopoulos repeatedly stated that Trump was held liable for rape in the E. Jean Carroll civil trial, when the jury had actually found him liable for sexual abuse.
The lawsuit was resolved in December with ABC agreeing to pay $15 million toward a future Trump library and an additional $1 million to cover Trump’s legal fees. The settlement allowed both parties to avoid a potentially lengthy court battle.
Pam Bondi’s controversial past has come under increased scrutiny since her nomination as Attorney General. Her recent comments about prosecuting hate speech have drawn criticism from both liberal and conservative voices who worry about First Amendment protections.
Bondi attempted to clarify her position on social media platform X on Tuesday. She wrote that hate speech would only be prosecuted when it crosses into threats of violence. “Hate speech that crosses the line into threats of violence is NOT protected by the First Amendment. It’s a crime,” Bondi stated. She added that the Justice Department would target those who normalize threats and political violence.
The Attorney General’s original comments came during a podcast interview with Katie Miller, wife of White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller. Bondi had suggested that the federal government would target those using hate speech against others, particularly in response to the recent assassination of Charlie Kirk. Trump loyalists like Bondi have generally maintained strong support for the president’s agenda, though some have shown occasional independence on certain issues.
Published: Sep 17, 2025 06:40 pm