Former Republican President Donald Trump was criticized after joking during a Michigan rally that White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki—whose planned departure from the White House in May may be followed by a gig with MSNBC—was only joining the network "because they need a redhead."
Trump commented on Psaki's "really beautiful red hair" and disparaged MSNBC as "MSDNC," suggesting the network is little more than an arm for the Democratic National Committee (DNC) and the Democratic Party at large.
You can hear Trump's remarks in the video below.
Trump describes Psaki as \u201cthe woman with the really beautiful red hair\u201d and claims MSNBC is trying to hire her because they need a red headpic.twitter.com/6rGdJVYIbH— Acyn (@Acyn) 1648944114
Trump, speaking to the crowd in Washington Township in the Detroit metro area, issued the following freewheeling remarks:
"And then the woman with the really beautiful red hair, she left. And she was hit so hard by the military because they knew I was right, the military understood I was right."
"You know she's going to MSDNC, you know that right? Right? They need a redhead. They don't have a redhead over there so they need a redhead."
Trump's remarks about the military appear to refer to a comment Psaki made in February about the Space Force, the space service branch of the United States Armed Forces that Trump reorganized when he signed the United States Space Force Act as part of the National Defense Authorization Act and that his critics viewed as little more than a Trump branding project.
When asked by a reporter whether President Joe Biden has made a decision about “keeping, or keeping the scope of, Space Force," Psaki sarcastically referred to it as "the plane of today" and said she would be "happy to check with our Space Force point of contact."
Trump has a long history of misogynistic commentary about women's appearances, perhaps most infamously when he, referring to then-Fox News anchor Megyn Kelly, said she had "blood coming out of her eyes, blood coming out of her wherever" during the 2015 Republican presidential debate.
In 2014, he told a female reporter it would be "politically correct" to say that looks "don't matter," and suggested that "you wouldn't have your job if you weren't beautiful."
Trump's comments were criticized and perceived as an addition to his record of sexist commentary.
I bet Jen is so grossed out right now.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— Rita Powell (@Rita Powell) 1649034965
Trump is creepy and embarrassing!https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— R\u2764\ufe0fsaParks #Resistance\ud83c\udf0a #MeToo #voteblue2022 #BLM (@R\u2764\ufe0fsaParks #Resistance\ud83c\udf0a #MeToo #voteblue2022 #BLM) 1649023399
He\u2019s such a misogynist pig. What makes it worse are all the women in his audience who laugh.https://twitter.com/acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— CommonSense \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6 (@CommonSense \ud83c\uddfa\ud83c\udde6) 1649001422
tRump is a "mean girl".\n\nHe sees Jen Psaki doing a great job, getting kudos and adulation. \nHe knows she's smarter, more savvy, more principled than he is.\nHe can't compete.\nHe's jealous.\n#TrumpRallyhttps://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— Helis Bor (@Helis Bor) 1648989800
He hates women smarter than him.https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— Cow Lady (@Cow Lady) 1648980784
Jen, I think the x President is flirting with you.https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— Democracy 2024 (@Democracy 2024) 1648985089
Good Morning! \nHere is your first \u201esexist joke\u201c of the day! It must be funny, it talks about \u201eWomen\u2019s Hair\u2026\u201c\nhttps://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— Mary Hess (@Mary Hess) 1648986114
That is all he can see in a woman who is stunningly articulate and has a whip sharp BRILLIANT mind.\n\n#TrumpIsARussianAssethttps://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— Mary Kay (@Mary Kay) 1648946264
Trump needs a reality check. His thought process is becoming more and more delusional.https://twitter.com/Acyn/status/1510407204649648130\u00a0\u2026— Nita Cosby (@Nita Cosby) 1648947517
Over the weekend, a source with knowledge of the matter confirmed to Axios that Psaki is "in close consultation with the White House counsel's office about her departure.". Psaki has not yet formally told the White House press team about her departure and MSNBC has been working with its compliance lawyers to ensure their conversations do not violate government regulations.
NBC News via Lisa Anderson