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Trump confronts reporter over sexual abuse allegations in White House press briefing
President Donald Trump engaged in a heated exchange with an NBC News reporter during a White House press briefing on Friday morning, reacting aggressively when she questioned him about sexual abuse allegations involving Democratic gubernatorial candidate Amy Acton. The incident occurred as reporters were questioning Trump about a Republican attack ad targeting Acton, which features her estranged mother Donna Arthur accusing her daughter of being a liar. The ad, produced by Vivek Ramaswamy's campaign, claims Acton's stepfather was indicted for rape when she was under 13 years old. During the exchange, Trump repeatedly interrupted the reporter, shouting 'Quiet!' and calling her a 'horrible little reporter' after she persistently asked whether the sexual abuse allegations would affect his stance on the ad. Trump defended the ad, stating it was 'a mother speaking badly against Amy Acton,' and claimed he did not know about the stepfather's alleged rape. The reporter clarified that the stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was arrested and indicted in 1978 for raping Acton when she was younger than 13, and that her mother stayed married to him until his death. Trump dismissed the allegations, saying he 'doesn't know anything about stepfathers from many, many years ago,' and insisted the mother's criticism was fair game. The incident highlights Trump's confrontational style during press interactions and his refusal to acknowledge the serious nature of the sexual abuse allegations against Acton's stepfather. The campaign for Acton, the Democratic nominee for Ohio governor, has provided court records confirming the 1978 indictment, and her brother Philip Stearns stated that their mother 'stayed married to Amy's rapist until he died.' Trump's comments have drawn criticism for trivializing sexual abuse and for his aggressive response to legitimate journalistic inquiry.