President Donald Trump continued his ugly attacks on the press during a media gaggle on the White House lawn on Friday morning, smearing one reporter as a “loser,” denouncing another CNN journalist’s perfectly reasonable question about the Russia investigation as “stupid,” and imperiously threatening to revoke the credentials of members of the media who don’t show him sufficient “respect.”
After CNN reporter Abby Phillip asked Trump whether he wants newly appointed Acting Attorney General Matthew Whitaker to “rein in” Special Counsel Robert Mueller—an idea Whitaker has repeatedly endorsed—the president called the question “stupid” and fumed that Phillip asks “a lot of stupid questions.”
“What a stupid question that is. What a stupid question. But I watch you a lot, you ask a lot of stupid questions,” Trump sneered.
Trump lashes out at female reporter over "stupid question". pic.twitter.com/7qreJrf7Sh
— Josh Marshall (@joshtpm) November 9, 2018
Trump went on to launch another attack on CNN reporter Jim Acosta—whose press credentials the White House stripped on the basis of a doctored video—and American Urban Radio Networks journalist April Ryan, who the president called a “loser” who “doesn’t know what the hell she’s doing.”
TRUMP says of JIM ACOSTA, "I don't think he's a smart person," smears APRIL RYAN as "a loser" and "nasty."
"You've got to treat the White House and the office of the presidency with respect." pic.twitter.com/DwXz8JhKa3
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) November 9, 2018
In response to a question about how long Acosta’s press credentials will be suspended, Trump declared, “As far as I’m concerned, I haven’t made that decision. But it could be others also.”
Trump, threatening to further retaliate against the free press if he doesn’t like their coverage, now saying “there could be others” whose credentials he pulls if they’re “not respectful”
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) November 9, 2018
"This is a very sacred place. You have to treat the White House with respect. You have to treat the presidency with respect," Trump says, before calling one reporter a "loser" and telling another they "ask a lot of stupid questions"
— Adrian Morrow (@AdrianMorrow) November 9, 2018
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