Senator Bernie Sanders did not hold back after President Donald Trump launched a personal attack on a Reuters reporter who simply asked whether the president had canceled campaign rallies because of his health. The exchange happened on October 29, 2026, at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, shortly after Trump returned from a rally in South Carolina. The reporter, Jacob Bogage, asked a straightforward question about Trump’s travel schedule. Trump responded by mocking Bogage’s weight, calling him “sick” and “disgusting,” and telling him he looked like “h*ll.” Sanders posted a sharp response on X the next day, calling the outburst “not normal behavior” and saying Americans are “fed up” with Trump’s “narcissism, incompetence, and greed.” The back-and-forth has become one of the most talked-about political media clashes of the 2026 midterm election season.
What Trump Said to the Reporter
The confrontation began when Jacob Bogage, who covers the White House for Reuters, asked Trump whether his decision to skip a planned rally in Kansas had anything to do with him being “sick of traveling” after weeks of campaigning. Trump appeared to mishear the question as a suggestion that he was physically ill. “Oh, you’re sick to ask that question. You are sick,” Trump snapped back, according to video published by C-SPAN and CNN. When Bogage identified himself as a Reuters reporter, Trump continued: “You are a sick guy. Reuters is terrible, by the way.” The president then turned to Bogage’s appearance. “Look at this guy — he’s way out of shape,” Trump said. “You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape. You look like h*ll.”
Trump also defended his decision to skip the Kansas event, saying he did not feel he needed to go because Republican Senator Roger Marshall was “doing very well” in his reelection race. Trump said he would instead hold a tele-rally and travel to Florida the next day. The exchange lasted under a minute, but the video spread quickly across social media. CNN, NDTV, Hindustan Times, WION, and Times of India all reported the confrontation, with several outlets describing it as a “tarmac confrontation” and a “body-shaming attack” on a journalist.
Bernie Sanders Responds on X
Senator Bernie Sanders of Vermont posted his reaction on X on October 30, 2026, tagging the moment as a clear example of behavior that should not be accepted from a president. “Trump screamed at a reporter, called him a ‘sick guy,’ and said he looks ‘like h*ll’ after he asked an innocuous question about the President’s travel,” Sanders wrote. “This is not normal behavior. The American people are FED UP with Trump’s narcissism, incompetence, and greed. ENOUGH.”
“This is not normal behavior. The American people are FED UP with Trump’s narcissism, incompetence and greed. ENOUGH.” — Senator Bernie Sanders on X, October 30, 2026
The post was widely shared and quoted by news outlets including Soap Central, DID Press Agency, and GoMcGill. Sanders, who is 85 years old, has been one of Trump’s most consistent critics throughout the midterm campaign. His message framed the reporter incident not as an isolated moment but as part of a pattern of behavior that voters should reject at the ballot box.
Trump Doubles Down on Truth Social
Instead of backing away from the controversy, President Trump repeated the attack the next day. On Saturday, October 31, 2026, Trump posted an image of Jacob Bogage on Truth Social with the caption “Reuters (One of the Worst!) Reporter.” The post also included text repeating the insult: “Put yourself in shape. You look like h*ll!” according to Mediaite, Newsweek, and The Independent. The post went out around 10:30 a.m. and was viewed millions of times within hours.
The decision to amplify the insult on social media drew fresh criticism from media observers, who noted that Trump was using the official platform of the presidency to mock a working journalist over his physical appearance. Reuters did not issue a public statement about the post, but the outlet’s White House correspondent became the subject of widespread online discussion, with many users pointing out that Bogage had asked a routine question about the president’s schedule.
The Rally Cancellation Confusion
The reporter’s question came during a chaotic stretch of the midterm campaign. Trump had been scheduled to hold in-person rallies in Salina, Kansas, on Saturday, October 31, and in Dubuque, Iowa, on Sunday, November 1. On Thursday, October 29, the Republican National Committee announced that both events were being replaced with a series of tele-rallies across nearly 20 states, with RNC Chairman Joe Gruters saying the shift would “maximize his reach” and help Republican candidates in “strong position” in both states. The RNC said Trump would appear virtually in Kansas and Iowa instead of traveling in person.
Less than 24 hours later, the plan changed again. On Friday, October 30, the RNC announced that the in-person rallies in Kansas and Iowa were back on, both scheduled for Sunday, November 1. The New York Times, NBC News, UPI, and The Guardian all reported the reversal. White House officials said the in-person events had only been rearranged to accommodate the additional virtual events on the president’s schedule. The confusion over the schedule is what prompted Bogage’s question in the first place: was the initial cancellation related to Trump’s health, or was it a strategic decision?
Why Trump’s Health Keeps Coming Up
Questions about President Trump’s health have followed him throughout the 2026 campaign. The 80-year-old president has faced repeated scrutiny over visible bruising on his right hand, swelling in his lower legs, and moments where he appeared unsteady while walking. The White House has said the bruising is consistent with “tissue damage from frequent handshaking” combined with aspirin use, and has released memos stating that Trump remains in “excellent health” despite “slight lower leg swelling” and “benign” hand bruising.
Those explanations have not stopped speculation. CNN, Times Now, and Hindustan Times have all reported on viral clips that show Trump gripping railings, walking cautiously down steps, or appearing to sweat heavily during outdoor events. The October 29 exchange at Joint Base Andrews took place on a day when Trump was visibly sweating as he spoke to reporters, according to HuffPost. The reporter’s question about whether Trump was “sick of traveling” was not a medical diagnosis — it was a question about stamina and schedule. Trump’s response treated it as an accusation of illness, and he turned it into an attack on the reporter’s body.
Sanders and Trump Trade Personal Jabs
The reporter incident was not the only personal exchange between Sanders and Trump that week. During a campaign rally in South Carolina on October 29, Trump made a joke about Sanders’ age. “Bernie Sanders, who’s radical left, but, you know, you got to hand it to the guy,” Trump said. “He’s about 137 years old, and he’s still — he’s still sharp. He’s still crazy. Remember, I used to call him ‘Crazy Bernie.’” Sanders responded during an appearance on CNN with Kaitlan Collins, laughing off the remark and turning it into a political point. “Should I take that as a compliment?” Sanders said. “I think he is getting nervous that I and other progressives around the country are rallying the American people to stand up to his contempt for the Constitution and for policies that benefit the very, very rich. I think he’s getting nervous.”
“I think he is getting nervous that I and other progressives around the country are rallying the American people to stand up to his contempt for the Constitution and for policies that benefit the very, very rich.” — Senator Bernie Sanders on CNN, October 30, 2026
Sanders also released a video message ahead of the midterms in which he called Trump “the most dangerous president in the history of our country,” an “authoritarian,” and a “pathological liar.” Those comments were made before the reporter incident, but they set the tone for Sanders’ response when the video of Trump insulting Bogage began circulating.
The Political Backdrop
The clash comes just days before the November 3, 2026, midterm elections, with control of the Senate and House at stake. Trump’s approval rating stood at 32 percent in a Reuters/Ipsos poll released the week of the incident, up one point from a historic low of 31 percent the week before. CNN polling showed Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton leading Republican Senator Roger Marshall by four points among likely Kansas voters, and Democratic Senate candidates leading in several other key states.
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Trump has held 25 rallies across 19 states since October 1, according to Hindustan Times, and the decision to cancel and then restore the Kansas and Iowa events reflected a campaign trying to balance the president’s schedule with the demands of competitive races. The reporter’s question about whether Trump was “sick of traveling” was a question about that schedule — not a question about his medical records. Trump’s response turned it into a fight about the reporter’s body, and Sanders used that moment to argue that the behavior was not just rude but politically disqualifying.
Also Read: Trump’s ‘Great A**’ Comment on Sen. Jon Husted Blasted Online Days After Nicki Minaj Rally Remark
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