US President Donald Trump refused to respond to a female journalist’s question about the FBI investigation into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, having dismissed it as irrelevant due to the newly sealed trade deal that prompted the news conference in the first place.
During a news conference on the revamped US-Canada-Mexico trade agreement, Donald Trump made an attempt to joke about a White House reporter for ABC News, Cecilia Vega, who raised her hand to ask him a question. While it took a few seconds before the mic was passed to her and she finally rose from her seat, Trump suggested that she was “shocked” that he had “picked her.”
READ MORE: US, Mexico, Canada Reach New Trade Deal to Replace NAFTA
She replied by saying, “I’m not. Thank you, Mr. President,” and Trump, having apparently misheard “thank you” as “thinking,” hit back: “I know you’re not thinking. You never do.”
Trump to woman reporter: “She’s shocked I picked her, she’s in a state of shock” Reporter: “I’m not, thank you Mr. President” Trump: “I know you’re not thinking, you never do” Reporter: “I’m sorry?” Trump: “Go ahead” This is institutionalized misogyny. pic.twitter.com/Y31GwISb4I
Vega made an attempt to ask him a question about the FBI investigation of sexual assault allegations against Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh, but Trump said that the presser was about trade.
READ MORE: Kavanaugh Testimony May Haunt Him As Supreme Court Justice
She later alluded to the exchange with POTUS in a tweet:
A news conference means you get to ask whatever question you want to ask. #FirstAmendment
A White House transcript is now alleging that Donald Trump replied “not thanking,” which, as many social media users have observed, doesn’t make any sense.
Official @WhiteHouse transcripts misquotes @POTUS today chiding @CeciliaVega (compare video to text). I was sitting just behind her in the Rose Garden and we all clearly heard him say: “I know you’re not thinking. You never do.” https://t.co/Q2frFLjpKx pic.twitter.com/vIYoYOzXrS
While some argued whether Vega was saying “thank you” or “thinking”…
It sounded like she said “thinking”, not “thanking”….doesn’t change how utterly offensive his comment was.
No, on video it’s clear as a bell said “thank you”.
She says, “I’m not thinking.” (As she tries to get the mic) He says, “I know you’re not thinking. You never do.” Her response of “I’m sorry?” shows that she understood his slight. Watch the video; for anyone to claim that the two of them said ‘thanking’ is preposterous.
…many lashed out at Trump for insulting the female journalist and being disrespectful towards women on the whole:
Way to go Cecilia for handling the situation like a professional. He was unnecessarily unkind and wrong in that situation. That wasn’t the pres mocking the press, that was rude behavior to a woman for no reason.
He is so rude and condescending to women
As women, we have all heard that dismissive, condescending tone used on us before. We recognize it for what it is. We hear the GOP and Trump loud and clear. We will use our annoying, brazen voices to vote.
It’s easy to imagine DT saying this. pic.twitter.com/YlYIDFBsC4
This is why men think they can humiliate and degrade women. Our pres does it, and his ppl behind him thinks it’s funny.
pic.twitter.com/NuUHRgXvrp
Others praised Vega for keeping her cool despite Trump’s jab:
Bless you Cecilia for keeping your cool and composure. That exchange was awful and Trump’s a bully acting out. Great job keeping your focus!
You go girl
Some, however, defended the president, saying that the press had no respect for him and that the conference was meant to address the trade deal, not Kavanaugh’s case:
Bully? This was HIS news conference on TRADE! Why didn’t she ask a question on trade? That’s why they were there! She should have waited but no, she had to be rude to try to move to a different subject!
I totally agree!!!! The media has no respect. Of course she didn’t want to talk about trade. I’m tired of watching the majority of our media work for the Democratic Party!
You looked foolish asking a question about Kavanaugh when it was a trade PC. Maybe the press should pretend to be polite, and they’ll get the same treatment. ????
Sure, and it doesn’t have to be answered on your schedule. The presser was about trade, @POTUS was very polite and said he’d do Kavanaugh after trade, but YOU want to change the narrative.
And under the same amendment he can refuse to answer your question unless it was related to the topic of the speech in the Rose Garden. #lookingforheadlines
On October 1, the United States, Canada and Mexico reached a new trade agreement, dubbed USMCA, thus replacing NAFTA – a cornerstone in the trilateral relations. The new deal is expected to be signed in 60 days.
