Mayhem broke out at President Donald Trump's first press conference following the midterm elections on Wednesday when Trump berated CNN reporter Jim Acosta as a "rude, terrible person" for asking a question about the Russia probe.
"You should let me run the country. You run CNN," Trump said as a White House aide attempted to physically take the microphone out of Acosta's hands. "That's enough. Put down the mic. CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude terrible person."
"You are the enemy of the people," the president added.
Watch:
President Trump to Jim @Acosta: "You should let me run the country. You run CNN."
"That's enough. Put down the mic. CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude terrible person." pic.twitter.com/GR9TIbKUok
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 7, 2018
After Acosta sat down, NBC reporter Peter Alexander defended Acosta, prompting Trump to declare, "I'm not a big fan of yours either."
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
Trump went on to shout down April Ryan of American Urban Radio Networks:
Trump scolds April Ryan: "Sit down!" pic.twitter.com/WKjxWAFgYs
— TPM Livewire (@TPMLiveWire) November 7, 2018
When PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor asked Trump if he believes his embrace of the "nationalist" label has emboldened white nationalists, the president dismissed the question as "racist" and "insulting":
President Trump to @Yamiche: "That's a racist question." pic.twitter.com/4bgrMjQFZk
— CSPAN (@cspan) November 7, 2018
