US President Donald Trump on Friday said that he might revoke the credentials of additional White House reporters if they did not “treat the White House with respect,” lobbing another threat at the news media two days after his administration effectively blacklisted CNN correspondent Jim Acosta.
The president made his comments while speaking with reporters on the South Lawn before boarding Marine One.
Abby Phillip, also from CNN, asked Trump whether he wanted his new attorney general to hold back an explosive probe into allegations that the president's 2016 election campaign colluded with Russian agents.
President Donald Trump makes remarks to the press prior to departing the White House for a trip to Paris, France, in Washington, DC, November 9, 2018. /VCG Photo
Trump angrily refused to answer saying the question was "stupid."
"When you're in the White House, this is a very sacred place for me, a very special place," Trump said as he left Washington for a brief jaunt to Paris. "You have to treat the White House with respect. You have to treat the presidency with respect."
The tension between Trump and journalists has been one of the main headlines this week since Wednesday Acosta's confronted with Trump during a news conference.
They began sparring after Acosta asked Trump about the caravan of migrants heading from Latin America to the southern US border. When Acosta tried to follow up with another question, Trump said. "That's enough!" and a female White House aide unsuccessfully tried to grab the microphone from Acosta.
A White House intern reaches for and tries to take away the microphone held by CNN correspondent Jim Acosta as he questions US President Donald Trump during a news conference at the White House in Washington, DC, US, November 7, 2018. /VCG Photo
The White House later suspended the press pass of Acosta.
On Friday, asked how long Acosta's pass would be suspended, Trump replied: “As far as I'm concerned, I haven't made that decision. But it could be others also.”
Lashes out at 3 black female journalists in 2 days
Besides Philip, Trump also singled out two other African-American women who are journalists this week: April Ryan and Yamiche Alcindor.
Trump described Ryan as "a loser" and brushed off Alcindor, saying her question was "racist."
"Sit down! I didn't call you," Trump commanded after Ryan tried to ask him about alleged voter suppression in the midterm elections. "Such a hostile media, it's so sad," Trump added as Ryan pressed him. "You rudely interrupted him," Trump told her, referring to another reporter.
A few moments later, Alcindor asked Trump about his recent characterization of himself as "a nationalist" and whether that label was "emboldening white nationalists."
Trump interrupted her and responded, "I don't know why you say that, that is such a racist question." He repeated that characterization – "racist" – two more times.
(With inputs from agencies)