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Steve Mnuchin Rebukes CNN’s Acosta: ‘That’s The Most Ridiculous Question I’ve Ever Heard Of’

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Virginia Kruta Associate Editor
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Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin fired back at CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta during Tuesday’s press briefing, calling his question “ridiculous.”

WATCH:

The briefing was initially supposed to include former National Security Advisor John Bolton alongside Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and Mnuchin, but news broke just prior to the briefing that Bolton had left the White House.

Pompeo and Mnuchin went ahead with the briefing as scheduled, and fielded a number of questions about Bolton’s exit and potential replacement as well as how the administration’s foreign policy might change going forward.

“Is the national security team a mess?” Acosta asked as the briefing came to a close.

“Absolutely not,” Mnuchin shot back, adding, “That’s the most ridiculous question I’ve ever heard of.” (RELATED: Mnuchin Spars With Maxine Waters During Hearing: ‘I Believe You’re Supposed To Take The Gavel’)

“We’ve had three national security advisors in three years,” Acosta protested.

“Let me just say,” Mnuchin continued, “the national security team, which is what you asked, consists of the National Security Advisor, the Secretary of Defense, the Secretary of State, myself, the Chief of Staff, and many others, so …”