'Like a Little Machine Gun': Critics Brand Trump 'Gross' as History of Objectifying Female Staff Boils Over

Critics have branded Donald Trump 'gross' after the US president made a crude remark to a reporter in France on Wednesday, reigniting scrutiny over what opponents describe as a long-running pattern of Trump objectifying female staff and women in public life.

The exchange took place as Trump attended the G7 summit, where he had been engaging with world leaders under intense international attention.

The incident came just days after Trump claimed he had brought an end to the war with Iran, placing him firmly at the centre of global political coverage. Against that backdrop, his appearance at the summit was already under heavy scrutiny, not least because of his past clashes with several leaders in attendance.

The controversy erupted during an on-the-record exchange with reporters on the tarmac. Reflecting on a press conference, Trump told one journalist: 'The press conference seems to have gone well... You shot your load, Steve, pretty much, right?' The remark drew no immediate response from those present. There was a pause, then Trump moved on.

Objectifying Female Staff Is Part of a Pattern

Journalist Barry Malone posted the footage with the caption: 'Wait, what did he say?' Others were less restrained. 'Everything is s** with him,' one user wrote, while another referenced Trump's past controversies, calling it a return to 'locker room talk.'

The intensity of the reaction is not just about a single remark. Critics argue it fits into a broader pattern that has followed Trump for years, particularly in his interactions with women. That history has been well documented and remains politically potent, resurfacing whenever a new incident occurs.

One frequently cited example dates to a December press briefing, when Trump commented on his press secretary Karoline Leavitt in strikingly personal terms: 'Karoline! When she gets up there with that beautiful face and those lips that don't stop, bop, bop bop like a little machine gun.'

At the time, the remark prompted backlash from commentators who viewed it as inappropriate for a professional setting.

G7 Moment Fuels Renewed Backlash

What made the latest incident resonate is partly its setting. The G7 summit is a tightly choreographed diplomatic event, where language is typically measured and deliberate. Trump's off-the-cuff style has always cut against that grain, but even by his standards, critics say, the remark felt jarring.

It followed another moment earlier in the trip when Trump greeted France's First Lady Brigitte Macron by calling her 'sweetheart,' a choice of words that some observers also criticised as overly familiar.

Supporters, however, have often dismissed such remarks as part of Trump's unscripted communication style, arguing that his willingness to speak informally is precisely what distinguishes him from more conventional politicians. That defence has held in some quarters, though it tends to do little to quiet backlash once clips begin circulating online.

And circulate they did. The video spread quickly across X and other platforms, where users replayed the exchange, dissected it, and folded it into broader debates about professionalism, gender, and power. In that sense, the reaction was not just about what was said, but about what people believe it represents.

Moments like this can cut through more substantive policy discussions, shifting headlines away from diplomatic outcomes or geopolitical developments. At a summit designed to project unity among major economies, it was a stray line on a runway that ended up dominating parts of the conversation.

Whether the backlash has any lasting impact is harder to pin down. Trump's critics see confirmation of a pattern they argue has never meaningfully changed. His allies tend to see another example of outrage that will flare and fade.