President Donald Trump held a press conference in the wake of the 2018 midterm elections and spent a significant amount of time fighting with journalists.
Trump repeatedly interrupted CNN contributor April Ryan when she attempted to ask him a question about voter suppression, reports The Daily Beast.
"Sit down, please,” the president yelled at Ryan. “Sit down. I didn’t call you. I didn't call you. I didn’t call you. I’ll give you voter suppression: Take a look at the CNN polls, how inaccurate they were. That’s called voter suppression.”
The president followed this by addressing a different reporter and accusing Ryan of disrespecting the journalist.
“I’m not, I’m not responding to — excuse me. Excuse me, I’m not responding to you; I’m talking to this gentleman,” the president said. “Will you please sit down? Excuse me! Excuse me? Would you please sit down? Very hostile! It’s such a hostile media. It’s so sad. You rudely interrupted him. No. You rudely interrupted him.”
Trump repeatedly tells April Ryan to "sit down" when she tries to ask him a question pic.twitter.com/6Th5pBxQtU
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 7, 2018
Trump also got into it with PBS Newshour correspondent Yamiche Alcindor when she asked him about his endorsement of nationalism.
"That's such a racist question," Trump responded. "I don't believe that."
His deflection continued with a declaration of love for all.
"I love our country," Trump said. "You have nationalists; you have globalists. I also love the world. I would love to help the world, but we have to straighten out our country first. But to say, that, what you said, is so insulting to me. It's a very terrible thing you said."
His shenanigans didn’t end there. Rapper Lil Jon appeared on two seasons of Celebrity Apprentice and has spoken publicly about Trump allegedly calling him an Uncle Tom.
— LILJON (@LilJon) October 15, 2016
When a reporter asked Trump about the accusations, the president claimed he didn’t know Lil Jon.
Here's Trump saying that he doesn't know who Lil Jon is even though he was on Celebrity Apprentice. pic.twitter.com/EcJ3awjxbt
— Holly Fιɢυeroα O'Reιlly (@AynRandPaulRyan) November 7, 2018
"I don't know who Lil Jon is," Trump said before the reporter reminded Trump of the “Get Low” rapper’s stint on the reality show.
As if all of that wasn't enough, the press conference also included a charged standoff between Trump and CNN’s Jim Acosta.
BREAKING: President Trump, CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta and @NBCNews Correspondent @PeterAlexander engage in tense exchanges in post-election news conference. pic.twitter.com/WUlXemGn7y
— NBC News (@NBCNews) November 7, 2018
Acosta has a history of conflict with 45, and this was clear when Trump refused to answer his questions about the collusion investigation. Trump called Mueller's work “a hoax” and insulted Acosta.
"I tell you what: CNN should be ashamed of itself, having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person,” the president declared. He also accused Acosta of being cruel to press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders.
When NBC News reporter Peter Alexander tried to defend Acosta, he became a target.
"Well, I'm not a big fan of yours either," Trump said. "You aren't the best."
CNN later released a statement condemning Trump’s treatment of the media.
CNN’s response to @realDonaldTrump’s press conference today: pic.twitter.com/tJ3nZDnYwO
— CNN Communications (@CNNPR) November 7, 2018
"This president's ongoing attacks on the press have gone too far. They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American," the network said. "While President Trump has made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has a sworn obligation to protect it. A free press is vital to democracy, and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere."
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