White House defends Trump’s choice to call on Chinese over American journalist

The White House is defending President Trump after he gave a question at a joint press conference with French President Emmanuel Macron that was intended for an American journalist to a member of the Chinese media instead.

Near the end of a joint press conference, France’s president called for one last question from an American reporter, only to be ignored by President Trump who then selected a reporter from “Phoenix TV of China” instead.

The reporter proceeded to ask Macron a question in French, then asked Trump about his perception of China’s leader, Xi Jinping.

{mosads}”You have just met with the Chinese president during the G-20 summit,” the reporter asked. “How do you want to continue to work with China and what do you personally think about Mr. Xi Jinping?”

Trump did call on some American news outlets at the press conference, including ABC.

Some reporters accused Trump of “deflecting” and called it a “clear violation” of White House press protocol.

Seems like a clear violation of protocol for this question not to go to an American journalist

— Jonathan Lemire (@JonLemire) July 13, 2017

macron says next question should go to an american journalist, but trump deflects and calls on a chinese journalist.

— kelly cohen (@politiCOHEN_) July 13, 2017

Macron says next question should go to an American jounralist, as Trump makes the call. Trump doesn’t call on American journalist.

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) July 13, 2017

At joint press conferences with foreign leaders, protocol dictates that two questions are given to the host country’s press pool, and two questions are given to U.S. reporters. The first U.S. question went to Cecilia Vega, an ABC News reporter, who questioned Trump about the Russia collusion investigation.

In an email to CNN, Trump’s deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said the president reserves the right to call on “any reporter he chooses.”

NEW: Sarah H. Sanders emails: Like White House press corps, “the President wants a free press and he can call on any reporter he chooses.” https://t.co/H6dOyNpt5X

— Dylan Byers (@DylanByers) July 13, 2017

Earlier Thursday, President Trump spoke to reporters for an extended Q&A session aboard Air Force One, during which he spoke with journalists at length about issues such as sanctions on Russia and the border wall.

The Hill has reached out to the White House for further comment on this story.