US President Donald Trump abruptly ended a coronavirus press briefing on Monday after he was challenged by a CBS News reporter who demanded to know why he told her to “ask China” about coronavirus testing.
Trump walked away after a CNN correspondent tried to ask further questions.
The CBS reporter, Weijia Jiang, asked Trump why he was emphasizing that the US was doing better than any other country when it comes to testing.
“Why does that matter? Why is this a global competition to you if every day Americans are still losing their lives and we are still seeing more cases every day?” she asked.
Trump then fired back, “Well, they are losing their lives everywhere in the world. Maybe that is a question you should ask China. Don’t ask me. Ask China that question. When you ask China that question you may get a very unusual answer.”
The President then called on CNN’s Kaitlan Collins, who was walking to the microphone before Jiang then said, “Sir, why are you saying that to me, specifically?”
“I am not saying it specifically to anybody. I am saying it to anybody who would ask a nasty question like that,” Trump said.
“That is not a nasty question,” Jiang replied.
Trump then tried to call on someone else, before Collins said, “But you pointed to me. … You called on me.”
Trump replied, “I did, and you didn’t respond, and I am now calling on the young lady in the back.”
Collins then tried to ask her question but Trump wrapped up the briefing and left.
Trump has been a long-time critic of the mainstream US media, which he has repeatedly branded as “fake news”.
Last month, Trump ripped a CNN reporter who pressed him on promoting hydroxychloroquine as a way to treat COVID-19.
Several weeks later he blasted two other reporters during a coronavirus briefing, among them a CNN reporter to whom the President told, “CNN is fake news, don’t talk to me.”