Trump ends press conference after altercation with two women reporters

Trump took questions from a reporter for nearly 40 minutes praising his administration for its response to coronavirus but abruptly ended it after heated exchanges of words with two reporters

Donald Trump
US President Donald Trump speaks about the coronavirus in Washington | Photo: AP/PTI
ANI
2 min read Last Updated : May 12 2020 | 9:13 AM IST
US President Donald Trump on Monday abruptly ended his press conference on coronavirus following an altercation with two women reporters.

According to the Hill, Trump took questions from a reporter for nearly 40 minutes praising his administration for its response to coronavirus but abruptly ended it after heated exchanges of words with two reporters -- CBS reporter Weijia Jiang and CNN's Kaitlan Collins.

When Jiang, who is of Chinese descent, asked Trump why he seems, at times, to view the Covid-19 pandemic as a "global race"? After not responding to the question directly, he advised her to "go ask China" the same question, The Hill reported.

"Well, they're losing their lives everywhere in the world, and maybe that's a question you should ask China," Trump responded. "Don't ask me. Ask China that question, OK? When you ask them that question, you may get a very unusual answer."


"Why are you saying that to me specifically?" asked Jiang, who was born in China and raised in West Virginia.

"I'm not saying it specifically to anybody. I'm saying it to anybody that would ask a nasty question like that," Trump replied before moving on to another reporter. The president has frequently blamed China for the outbreak, suggesting the country could have stopped the spread of the coronavirus had it acted sooner.

Later, CNN reporter Kaitlan Collins approached one of the microphone stands designated to ask questions, but Trump shot her down several times.

"But you called on me," Collins said. When she kept trying to ask a question even as he called on another journalist, Trump abruptly ended the press conference.

One subscription. Two world-class reads.

Already subscribed? Log in

Subscribe to read the full story →
*Subscribe to Business Standard digital and get complimentary access to The New York Times

Smart Quarterly

₹900

3 Months

₹300/Month

SAVE 25%

Smart Essential

₹2,700

1 Year

₹225/Month

SAVE 46%
*Complimentary New York Times access for the 2nd year will be given after 12 months

Super Saver

₹3,900

2 Years

₹162/Month

Subscribe

Renews automatically, cancel anytime

Here’s what’s included in our digital subscription plans

Exclusive premium stories online

  • Over 30 premium stories daily, handpicked by our editors

Complimentary Access to The New York Times

  • News, Games, Cooking, Audio, Wirecutter & The Athletic

Business Standard Epaper

  • Digital replica of our daily newspaper — with options to read, save, and share

Curated Newsletters

  • Insights on markets, finance, politics, tech, and more delivered to your inbox

Market Analysis & Investment Insights

  • In-depth market analysis & insights with access to The Smart Investor

Archives

  • Repository of articles and publications dating back to 1997

Ad-free Reading

  • Uninterrupted reading experience with no advertisements

Seamless Access Across All Devices

  • Access Business Standard across devices — mobile, tablet, or PC, via web or app

Topics :CoronavirusDonald TrumpUnited States

Next Story