Trump Campaign Official Complains About ‘POC Liberal Women’ Asking ‘Stupid Questions’ at Press Conferences
Trump Campaign Senior Legal Adviser Jenna Ellis came under fire on Tuesday after she complained that “liberal” women of color have been present at “every” White House press conference “and asked stupid questions.”
After President Donald Trump was accused of racism for telling CBS News reporter Weijia Jiang to “ask China” about coronavirus deaths — with Jiang questioning Trump, “Sir, why are you saying that to me, specifically, that I should ask China?” — Ellis took to Twitter to comment.
“This is coronavirus press conference number, what, probably somewhere in the 50s? POC liberal women have been present at every one of them and asked stupid questions. Sometimes for HOURS,” Ellis wrote.
“This is the first time he’s just walked off. Finally,” she continued, concluding, “You know nothing. Stop gaslighting.”
This is coronavirus press conference number, what, probably somewhere in the 50s? POC liberal women have been present at every one of them and asked stupid questions. Sometimes for HOURS.
This is the first time he’s just walked off. Finally.
You know nothing. Stop gaslighting. https://t.co/R9CrKIqeXC
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) May 12, 2020
The tweet was soon criticized, including by CNN’s Brian Stelter, which prompted a battle between the two — with Ellis claiming Stelter had taken her comment out of context.
One of Trump’s top 2020 surrogates says, re: the WH’s Covid-19 pressers, “POC liberal women have been present at every one of them and asked stupid questions. Sometimes for HOURS.” pic.twitter.com/3BeAcGdtFk
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) May 12, 2020
“Show the whole tweet and context, Brian. Or are you trying to get a new gig on Meet The Press? CNN is such a joke,” Ellis replied to Stelter.
Show the whole tweet and context, Brian. Or are you trying to get a new gig on Meet The Press?
CNN is such a joke.
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) May 12, 2020
“Everyone knows that CNN’s Brian Stelter is among the most dishonest propagandists in the media, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt,” she added in another tweet. “He probably had some twinkies in his hands while he was trying to crop my tweet.”
Everyone knows that CNN’s Brian Stelter is among the most dishonest propagandists in the media, but I’ll give him the benefit of the doubt. He probably had some twinkies in his hands while he was trying to crop my tweet. pic.twitter.com/uSz0m2Chz1
— Jenna Ellis (@JennaEllisEsq) May 12, 2020
It’s unclear how the full text of the tweet changes the meaning of Ellis’s statement.
Stelter had claimed on Monday that President Trump’s comment to Jiang was “racist,” commenting, “It is racist to look at an Asian-American White House correspondent and say, ‘ask China’… This isn’t happening in a vacuum. This is part of a pattern of behavior from the president that goes back many years.”
