President Donald Trump disclosed details of a private conversation with former White House press secretary Katie Zacharia, who departed after five days on the job, during a rally in Fort Myers, Florida. The former president also drew attention to the physique of Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Trump made the remarks while supporting Republican gubernatorial hopeful Representative Byron Donalds and Senator Ashley Moody, who are running in a special election to fill the remainder of Marco Rubio's term. Trump criticized the press for their aggressive questioning, stating that reporters were "screaming" at Zacharia.
"No wonder that poor young woman – she was a perfect, beautiful woman – when she walked into that press room and they started screaming at her, she freaked out," Trump told the crowd, recounting a conversation he had with Zacharia. He added that he had told her, "there are nicer ways for you to make a living."
Zacharia's brief tenure included one 14-minute press briefing. Trump's comments came as reporters pressed him on other matters, including an advertisement run by Ohio gubernatorial candidate Vivek Ramaswamy.
Later in his approximately 90-minute speech, Trump turned his attention to Robert F. Kennedy Jr., asking him to come onstage and commenting on his physical appearance. "By the way, seriously, did anybody ever see the build, the body on Bobby?" Trump asked. "He's got the body of a 30-year-old."
Headlines have previously been generated by Kennedy's workouts and diet. Trump also highlighted Kennedy's political affiliation, calling him "the most important Kennedy in the Kennedy family by far."
While discussing his renovation projects, including plans for a White House door, Trump also addressed the Florida races. He criticized Florida state Representative Angie Nixon, Moody's Democratic opponent, referring to her as a "Marxist maniac." Nixon defeated Alexander Vindman in the Democratic primary. Trump also referred to David Jolly, a former Republican Representative running as a Democrat against Donalds, as someone who "was thrown out of the party like a dog."