Trump Lashes Out at 'Horrible' Reporter in Fiery Rant After He's Confronted About His Support of Controversial Amy Acton Ad
Trump bashed the NBC reporter after he was confronted.
Oct. 29 2026, Published 6:55 p.m. ET
Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter who asked about his support of Vivek Ramaswamy's controversial Amy Acton ad, RadarOnline.com can reveal.
Ramaswamy and Acton are running for Ohio governor. In a recent advertisement from Ramaswamy, Acton's estranged mother, Donna Arthur, was featured. In the ad, Arthur claims Acton has a "serious problem."
Amy Acton's Estranged Mother's Ad Triggers Outrage
"She is a liar. She lies about her past. She says she grew up living in a tent. None of that is true. She’s lied her entire life. My daughter needs help. And she can't help you if she needs help herself," Arthur tells viewers.
Shortly after the video circulated, Acton's brother, Phillip Stearns, issued a statement.
"It's not surprising that Vivek Ramaswamy has stooped to such a despicable low as to attempt to turn the sexual abuse Amy endured at twelve years old from our birth mother’s husband into a political talking point," Stearns wrote. "After he was arrested and Amy and I were removed from their custody, our birth mother stayed married to Amy’s rapist until he died."
Speaking to ABC 6, Acton explained that her mother and stepfather were living in a tent when they were arrested for abuse, but they "skipped on bond."
"Child abuse was only prosecuted within states, not across borders," she explained.
Court records back up Acton's recollection of abuse.
Documents show that from December 1976 to April 1978, Acton's stepfather, Cledith Arthur, was charged with sexual conduct with a minor under the age of 13. He was indicted for the offense, but he "willfully vacated his last known address." An arrest warrant was issued for him, but he wasn't found.
The last known address he gave was Terrace Lake Park, which has a campground.
Vivek Ramaswamy Stands By His Ad
Ramaswamay claimed the ad wasn't about child abuse.
Yet despite the backlash, Ramaswamy has stood by his decision to run the commercial.
Speaking at a rally, he alleged the advertisement wasn't related to Acton's child abuse. "The irony is they're lying about an ad that is about lying," the Republican stated. "They're changing the subject because they don't want to answer for their own failures."
Ramaswamy has also told reporters he wants to debate Acton, but she does not. Acton explained that she does not want to "normalize" her opponent's actions.
"He has put over $100million in attack ads that have been debunked and fact-checked," Acton said. "He has lied. He is a serial liar. He's made his money through corrupt ways…I've been fighting for victims of heinous crimes my whole life."
Ramaswamy has also since claimed he'll "be the strongest governor in prosecuting childhood abuse" and other abuse in Ohio.
Trump Clashes With Press Over Ad
Trump called the reporter who pressed him about the ad 'horrible.'
The Republican candidate has faced pushback from both Republicans and Democrats for the ad, but President Trump has stood by Ramaswamy.
Reporter Monica Alba pressed him on this support, asking, "But do the sexual abuse allegations mean nothing to you, sir?"
Trump then asked what network she was with, and when she said NBC, he said it was "one of the worst networks you have."
"Isn't she a fresh person? You're a horrible little reporter, aren't you… If my mother said bad things about me, do you think the Democrats would put it up? I think so. But my mother thought I was wonderful. Thank you, Mom."
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Trump Says the Ad Is 'Fair Game'
Trump said the ad had nothing to do with Acton's stepfather.
Seemingly defending Acton's mother, he continued, "This is a person, a mother, a smart woman. I watched, smart woman. She said her daughter is a disaster. Her daughter is a liar. And she felt that she had an obligation, and she also said her daughter lied about her opponent, which is Vivek Ramaswamy. If I had that ad, I should be so lucky to have an ad like that. Why wouldn't you listen to a mother that says that? Why? Why would you, Ms. NBC, why wouldn't you listen?"
Alba tried to reply and explain the stepfather's charges, but Trump abruptly cut her off: "I don't know anything about a stepfather."
The president said the ad had "nothing to do with the stepfather or anything else" but with a mother going on television and saying her daughter running for governor was a liar.
"To me, that’s something that’s very much fair game," he said.
As stated, Acton has not seen her mother since she was 12 years old because she and her stepfather, who was indicted for sexually abusing her, fled the state.
