President Trump told National Urban Radio Network White House correspondent April Ryan to “sit down” after she attempted to ask a question when he called on another reporter, adding that “the media is very hostile” while reprimanding Ryan for interrupting.
“Sit down. I didn’t call on you,” Trump said after calling on Daily Caller correspondent Saagar Enjeti with Ryan attempting to get a question in.
{mosads}“It’s such a hostile media,” he added later after some back-and-forth with Ryan. “You rudely interrupted him [Enjeti].”
Ryan is also a CNN contributor.
The exchange came during a press conference during which Trump frequently clashed with reporters. Ryan was not the only reporter Trump asked to sit down, and he repeatedly criticized the media during the day-after-the-midterms briefing.
The battle with Ryan, who has clashed with White House press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders on multiple occasions in the past, began after CNN chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta debated Trump over his portrayal of the migrant caravan as an “invasion” heading toward the southern U.S. border, leading to this tense exchange.
“CNN should be ashamed of themselves having you work for them. You are a rude, terrible person,” Trump scolded Acosta. “You should not be working for CNN.”
When a White House aide attempted to obtain a microphone shared by reporters to ask questions, Acosta refused to hand it over.
Social media exploded over Trump’s exchanges with Ryan and Acosta. Both reporters’ names immediately began trending on Twitter.