'You Look Like Hell': Trump Insults Reporter as Republicans Cancel Two Final Midterm Rallies

Donald Trump attacked a reporter's appearance after being questioned about a cancelled campaign visit to Kansas, as Republicans announced that two planned weekend rallies would be replaced by telephone events.

The exchange took place at Joint Base Andrews on 29 October, after the president returned from campaigning in South Carolina. Asked whether the schedule change reflected fatigue from travelling, Trump rejected the suggestion and turned his response towards the journalist.

'I feel perfect. You are disgusting. Put yourself in shape, you look like hell,' he said.

The confrontation came as the Republican National Committee confirmed that Trump would no longer attend scheduled rallies in Salina, Kansas, on 31 October and Dubuque, Iowa, on 1 November. Republicans are defending control of Congress in the 3 November midterm elections.

A Travel Question Turns Personal

The reporter initially asked how Trump was feeling after an intensive period of campaign travel. Trump said he was doing well before discussing his expectations for election night.

A follow-up question asked whether skipping Kansas had anything to do with being tired of travelling. Trump responded by criticising the reporter's physical condition and rejecting the premise that he needed to make the visit.

The journalist was identified as Reuters reporter Jacob Bogage. Trump also criticised the news agency during the exchange. His remarks did not include a medical explanation for either cancellation.

The president instead argued that Kansas Republican Senator Roger Marshall was performing strongly enough that an in-person appearance was unnecessary. Marshall faces Democratic challenger Adam Hamilton in a competitive Senate contest.

Trump said he would support Marshall through a telephone rally and pointed to his planned appearance in Florida the following day.

Republicans Switch to Telephone Events

The RNC described the revised schedule as a way to reach voters across more states during the campaign's closing days.

Party chairman Joe Gruters said the final push would allow Trump to address voters nationwide. The announced programme covers nearly 20 states, while a White House official said the president would participate in more than 20 individual telephone rallies before election day.

Those figures describe different measures: the number of states reached and the number of events planned. Further appearances could still be announced.

The Kansas Republican Party separately confirmed that the Salina appearance had been cancelled. In Iowa, the abandoned Dubuque stop comes as Republican Ashley Hinson and Democrat Josh Turek compete for an open Senate seat.

Florida Visit Remains Scheduled

Trump's rally in Daytona Beach, Florida, remained scheduled for 30 October. Whether he would add further in-person appearances before Tuesday's vote was unclear.

By Thursday, he had held 25 rallies during October. Telephone events offer a different format: shorter appearances that allow him to address several audiences without travelling between venues.

The change comes at a consequential point for both parties. Control of the House and Senate will shape Trump's ability to advance his legislative programme during the remainder of his term.

Republicans have presented the cancellations as a strategic decision based on their candidates' prospects and the opportunity to reach more voters remotely. Trump's response to the reporter underscored that explanation while forcefully rejecting suggestions that his health required the change.

No medical reason for the cancellations has been announced.