US President Donald Trump on Friday blasted NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander during a briefing from the coronavirus task force and called him a “terrible reporter.”

The exchange began when Alexander confronted Trump with NIAID chief Dr. Anthony Fauci’s statement that “there is no magic drug” for the coronavirus.

“Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things is may be giving Americans a false sense of hope and misrepresenting preparedness right now?” Alexander asked.

“No I don’t think so,” Trump replied. “Such a lovely question.”

In a subsequent follow up question, Alexander asked, “What do you say Americans who are scared, though? Nearly 200 dead, 14,000 who are sick, millions, as you witnessed, who are scared right now. What do you say to Americans who are watching you right now who are scared?”

Trump then fired back, “I say that you’re a terrible reporter. I think that’s a very nasty question. And I think it’s a very bad signal that you’re putting out to the American people.”

“You’re doing sensationalism,” Trump continued, before criticizing NBC and referring to its parent company, Comcast, as “Con-cast.”

“You ought to be ashamed of yourself,” he added.

Alexander later commented on the exchange in a post on his Twitter account.

“I offered both Pres Trump and VP Pence an opportunity to reassure Americans. Simple question: ‘What do you say to Americans who are scared?’” he wrote.

“Trump, to me: ‘I say, you’re a terrible reporter.’ Pence, an hour later: ‘Don’t be afraid. Be vigilant,’” added Alexander.

Trump has been a long-time critic of the mainstream US media, which he has repeatedly branded as “fake news”.

He has been particularly critical of CNN and in 2018 had a fiery exchange with its chief White House correspondent, Jim Acosta, which resulted in the White House temporarily revoking Acosta’s press credentials.

In the wake of that incident, Trump suggested that a new international television network should be formed to compete with CNN and present the greatness of the United States around the world.

(Arutz Sheva’s North American desk is keeping you updated until the start of Shabbat in New York. The time posted automatically on all Arutz Sheva articles, however, is Israeli time.)