Media Twitter Slams Trump For Not Taking Questions at ‘News Conference’: ‘That. Was. Not. A. News. Conference.’
President Donald Trump ostensibly had a news conference about his signing of the Omnibus spending bill, but didn’t take many questions from the media.
The president basically just whined about being “forced” to sign the bill, despite perceiving it to lowball DACA recipients and not provide enough spending towards the border wall.
Meanwhile, reporters had plenty of questions for Trump after he finished his remarks, most of which he ignored, leaving the lectern almost as quickly as he came while reporters called them out to him as he departed.
So what did reporters do? They took to Twitter to call him out, of course:
That. Was. Not. A. News. Conference.
(The White House limited the number of reporters in the room. President Trump only answered two questions and walked out as other reporters asked more.) https://t.co/BDnK7LG1yE
— Dan Merica (@danmericaCNN) March 23, 2018
Trump took exactly TWO questions at his “news conference.”
— Peter Alexander (@PeterAlexander) March 23, 2018
Finally, despite the White House calling this a press availability, Trump did not take questions from the podium — only stopping to answer two questions (one on the veto threat and one about tariffs) as he was walking out of the room.
— Chris Geidner (@chrisgeidner) March 23, 2018
Reporter shouts out question to Donald Trump asking him if he’s lying about his affairs as he exits the room
— Charlie Spiering (@charliespiering) March 23, 2018
JUST IN: Trump walking out answers shouted question, says flatly he did not veto the omnibus because of “the incredible gains” in defense spending in the bill. https://t.co/INnRuidTUe
— Kevin Baron (@DefenseBaron) March 23, 2018
Trump doesn’t answer a question about alleged affairs when walking out of what he tweeted would be a news conference but was a statement.
— Chris Jansing (@ChrisJansing) March 23, 2018
Trump takes two questions on way out the door at press availability
— David Shepardson (@davidshepardson) March 23, 2018
So that press availability with Trump ended up with him answering two questions, I think.
— Chris Johnson (@chrisjohnson82) March 23, 2018
Trump called this a press conference but took just two questions.
— Noah Bierman (@Noahbierman) March 23, 2018
Trump said he was holding a news conference. Apparently without questions, except as he walked out of the room
— Michael Tackett (@tackettdc) March 23, 2018
Trump has not had a full press conference in over a year. Doing one at least annually is customary. The White House has said this would be a “news conference” and “press availability.” A real news conference would be taking many questions not signing a bill and taking one or two.
— Hunter Walker (@hunterw) March 23, 2018
Daniel Dale of The Toronto Star actually called it beforehand:
If Trump does take questions – which is not a given because he uses “news conference” to mean things other than a news conference – what’s the one thing you’d most want him asked?
— Daniel Dale (@ddale8) March 23, 2018
[image via screengrab]
