As Twitchy reported Friday, President Donald Trump refused a question from CNN’s Jim Acosta during a joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May, telling the assembled reporters, “CNN is fake news. I’ll take questions from a real network.” He then called on John Roberts from Fox News.
The incident had at least one journalist saying that Trump was “giving authoritarian leaders around the world” a green light to put reporters in jail.
Nobody went to jail, and on Saturday morning, Trump tweeted about the exchange, even admitting in parentheses that Acosta is “actually a nice guy.”
So funny! I just checked out Fake News CNN, for the first time in a long time (they are dying in the ratings), to see if they covered my takedown yesterday of Jim Acosta (actually a nice guy). They didn’t! But they did say I already lost in my meeting with Putin. Fake News……
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) July 14, 2018
CNN anchor Christopher Cuomo wondered why Trump would treat a nice guy like that.
Why would you treat a nice guy like that? Why would you brag about a takedown and see if you were getting attention for it if you know you went at a nice guy? That’s not what we learned where we both grew up. Biggest man in the room doesn’t need to take pot shots. https://t.co/8yahwfHPNK
— Christopher C. Cuomo (@ChrisCuomo) July 14, 2018
Honest question: Does Jim Acosta assume he’s the biggest man in the room during White House press briefings? He certainly acts like they revolve around him and CNN and gets pissy when other networks get the administration’s attention. We know he wasn’t this cranky during the Obama administration.
"Objective journalist" https://t.co/IKFZnsBw94
— Stephen (@sdp___) July 14, 2018
Chris doesn't watch his own network. Can't blame him. https://t.co/HLrx2rxCM2
— Derek Hunter (@derekahunter) July 14, 2018
Media and everyone else takes lot shots all the time at him. He could be an angel and it wouldn’t matter! Over this whole thing! Social media is making a mockery of America.
— Factsnotfiction (@Fixtionpolice) July 14, 2018
Hint: Jim Acosta isn’t really a nice guy, and he’s actually part of the problem.
— Mullah Yonderboy (@LupusWanderboy) July 14, 2018
A nice guy pic.twitter.com/3wFx6oIVn1
— Americans are dreamers too (@awm7604) July 14, 2018
Acosta may be a nice guy personally, but in his job he's a boor and a bully, and anything but professional. He deserves to be ignored.
— Richard K. (@DeltaMortarman) July 14, 2018
Acosta a nice guy? He like most everybody else at CNN, is a left-wing tool…
— Chris P. Bacon… (@temersonb) July 14, 2018
Smaller man in the room shouldn’t take shots either. Growing up we learned all should be respectful. Neither group appears to know that or care.
— Chris (@christine9766) July 14, 2018
I disagree Acosta's not a nice guy hes rude, arrogant, ignorant & an embarrassment to the rest of the reporters. He's not a reporter he's a gotcha type of disgrace. He embarrassed himself w/NK & once again embarrassed himself & cnn. Trump called him what he, cnn & you are FAKE
— Jim Marhevka (@JimMarhevka) July 14, 2018
Acosta is a unprofessional, rude, and smarmy person. Your failure to recognize that is another example of why CNN is dying. #FakeNews
— Journalism is Dead (@RationalCalm) July 14, 2018
If a fly won't stop pestering you day after day, yelling at you across the room in front of foreign leaders etc etc, at some point you don't swat it dead? If a child won't stop crying at you, you don't try to hush it? If News wasn't fake why do they reward this reporter? #GetReal
— sallah (@sa11ah) July 14, 2018
Why attack someone daily and whine when he punches back? How many stories has @CNN had to retract because they were so excited about criticizing Trump they didn't confirm?
— Mikexxxx (@Mikexxxx1) July 14, 2018
@realDonaldTrump Jim Acosta is ineffective.Time to give another CNN reporter a chance. Your ratings need a lifeline.
— Michele (@micheIUP) July 14, 2018
Cry more.
We absolutely love watching presstitutes get beat down. https://t.co/5VgmqPPc3b
— Ben Rhodes' Echo Chamber (@dindunuffinyt) July 14, 2018
If a nice guy declares a constant, public, disingenuous war on you, you would smack him around too. Nice guy or not. This whining is more a sad commentary on the state of journalism and your network than a reflection of Trump. https://t.co/OarNBpfkwx
— Kevin D Jones (@Kevin_D_Jones) July 14, 2018
Trump is helping Acosta to grow up and be more professional. It’s good for him. ?
— 84t80ყ (@JohnMPowersII) July 14, 2018
Related:
REALLY!? CNN reporter claims Trump shunning Jim Acosta gives authoritarian leaders green light to 'quash a free press' https://t.co/59ArWnzSgX
— Twitchy Team (@TwitchyTeam) July 13, 2018
