Susan Rice Defends Yamiche Alcindor Against Trump on Twitter

Former National Security Advisor Susan Rice is the latest to go at President Trump. The president was recently criticized for how he attacked and berated PBS correspondent Yamiche Alcindor in a White House coronavirus media briefing. President Trump told Alcindor at the meeting to “be nice” and to not be “threatening” in response to a question about Trump’s claim that state governors were requesting supplies to fight the coronavirus pandemic that they didn’t actually need. In a firestorm of tweets, Rice condemned Trump over his inappropriate behavior and defended Alcindor.

“President Trump today at the White House said to me: ‘Be nice. Don’t be threatening.’ I’m not the first human being, woman, black person or journalist to be told that while doing a job,” Alcindor wrote on Twitter and later retweeted by Rice. “My take: Be steady. Stay focused. Remember your purpose. And, always press forward.” Rice accused Trump of feeling insecure in the face of an intelligent black woman as this comes in a repeated pattern of the president attacking black female journalists.

“He has a particular problem, it seems, with black women, but as was pointed out in your earlier segment, it’s a problem that applies to women with strong personalities and a willingness to stand up for themselves and their beliefs across the board, said Rice to MSNBC’s Andrea Mitchell.

The White House has not responded to a request for comment.

“It’s a sad thing. It’s a reflection of one’s own insecurity. It’s not a reflection of the talent or the capacities of the women we’re talking about,” she continued. “And I hope very much that we can move beyond that. It’s so unbecoming in the context of a national crisis for the president to lash out at individuals, whether the governor of Michigan or the speaker of the House or a reporter who asked a very fair, tough question.”

You go, girl. Pathetic when insecure men can’t stomach strong black women. https://t.co/ExjC9z5p1J

— Susan Rice (@AmbassadorRice) March 30, 2020