'What a Joke You Are': Donald Trump Rejects MS NOW Question on Vladimir Putin

Donald Trump has clashed with an MS NOW reporter after being challenged over Vladimir Putin's reported refusal to meet US ceasefire demands, dismissing the journalist's network as 'fake' and declining to answer a follow-up question about Russia's war against Ukraine.

The confrontation unfolded on Monday, 9 November, when an MS NOW correspondent questioned the US president about his previous deadlines for Russian President Vladimir Putin to agree to a ceasefire and meet Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.

Why Did Trump Turn on the MS NOW Reporter?

The confrontation began when the correspondent reminded Trump that he had given Putin multiple deadlines over the previous 22 months to agree to a ceasefire and hold direct discussions with Zelenskyy.

'He has repeatedly ignored your demands,' the reporter told the president.

Trump interrupted before the question could be completed, responding: 'Well, you know, you say he's ignored. Has he been fighting us in the war?'

The president then demanded to know which media organisation the correspondent represented. When told it was MS NOW, Trump immediately dismissed the outlet.

'MS NOW, it's a fake - that's a fake deal,' he declared, before turning to another journalist for a question.

Trump did not directly address the reporter's concerns about Putin's response to his ceasefire demands. Instead, he launched another attack on the network, claiming it had suffered its worst ratings.

'MS NOW gets the worst ratings in their history,' he said, before adding: 'You're a fake network.'

As another reporter attempted to speak, Trump continued directing his frustration towards the network.

'MS NOW, what a joke you are,' the president said before moving on to another question.

Has Trump Previously Clashed With the Network?

The latest confrontation comes amid an ongoing dispute between the Trump administration and several major media organisations.

MS NOW journalists were among those from CNN and Politico who were denied access to White House grounds in September 2026, following Trump's announcement that he was banning the three news organisations.

At the time, Trump criticised media organisations in a Truth Social post, accusing them of publishing false information about his administration.

'Media Outlets shouldn't be able to constantly write or report FICTION and LIES when they're covering the President of the United States, the Trump Administration, or the United States of America,' he wrote.

Could Trump's Ukraine Peace Efforts Face Another Setback?

The confrontation comes as Trump's efforts to end Russia's invasion of Ukraine remain uncertain. Since Russia launched its full-scale invasion on 24 February 2022, the conflict has remained a major diplomatic challenge for Washington.

On 5 November, Trump met Putin's special envoy, Kirill Dmitriev, but did not reveal details of their discussion. He later suggested that negotiations could lead to an agreement extending beyond Ukraine.

'It's going to be an agreement. It's going to be a big agreement, and it's going to involve more than Ukraine... I could even say it might involve all of Europe. It's going to be a big, beautiful agreement, and everyone's going to be thrilled,' he said.

Meanwhile, Russian, Ukrainian and US representatives began a two-day round of US-mediated peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on Tuesday, 10 November. The discussions mark another attempt to find a diplomatic resolution to the war.

Whether those negotiations will produce meaningful progress remains uncertain. Trump's latest clash with the press has once again placed his approach to Putin under scrutiny.