
On Wednesday, hours after his party was dealt a crushing blow in the House, President Donald Trump lost control as CNN's Jim Acosta questioned him.
In response to Acosta telling him that the migrant caravan was not an "invasion," Trump angrily replied "I consider it an invasion," and "Do you think they were actors? They weren’t actors. They didn’t come from Hollywood." He then said "That's enough," as his aides tried to pull the mic away, and after Acosta asked him about the Russia investigation, he completely snapped. "CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN."
“You are the enemy of the people,” Trump says as a CNN reporter argues for more time questioning him about the caravan “invasion.” pic.twitter.com/sJylMGlFFD
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 7, 2018
Far from apologizing for their behavior, the White House doubled down. Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders soon announced they would be banning Acosta from the White House grounds.
“As a result of today’s incident, the White House is suspending the hard pass of the reporter involved until further notice,” Sarah Huckabee Sanders says.
— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) November 8, 2018
This will deny unescorted entry to the WH grounds for @Acosta. https://t.co/38B0E92YuB
Shortly thereafter, Sanders followed up, claiming that this was nothing to do with Acosta's line of questioning — it's because he manhandled a woman at the White House.
President Trump believes in a free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern...
— Sarah Sanders (@PressSec) November 8, 2018
Other reporters immediately pushed back on the allegation, noting with photographic and video evidence that at no point did Acosta "place his hands on a young woman."
I was seated next to @Acosta at today’s press conference and did not witness him “placing his hands” on the young intern, as the White House alleges. He held on to the microphone as she reached for it. The @Reuters pictures below depict what happened accurately. pic.twitter.com/nO68Hf4eQM
— Jeff Mason (@jeffmason1) November 8, 2018
So ... yeah. We're just not seeing it?pic.twitter.com/USWOuFkvYU
— Deadline White House (@DeadlineWH) November 8, 2018
Trump has repeatedly attacked the media throughout his time in office, calling reporters "the enemy of the people" and suggesting we should "take a strong look" at libel laws that restrict politicians from suing journalists (the only "libel law" that prevents this is the First Amendment). He even praised Montana Congressman Greg Gianforte for physically assaulting a reporter.
It is clear that losing the House has not humbled Trump in the slightest. If anything, he is angrier, and more on edge, than ever — and prepared to take it out on our basic political norms.
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News Today: White House Pulls CNN Reporter Jim Acosta's Press Pass and Falsely Accuses Him of 'Placing His Hands' on a Female Staffer
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