President Donald Trump scolded Fox News reporter David Spunt for suggesting there was “no hope” of a deal with Democrats during Monday’s press conference.
“What do you know?” Trump asked in reply. (RELATED: ‘How Many Feet Are You Away?’: Trump Jabs At Reporter Who Refuses To Remove Mask)
WATCH:
Spunt began by asking why Trump hadn’t called Democratic leaders — namely House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer— and met with them at the White House in the hopes of moving forward on a deal to keep the economy moving.
“If they don’t want to meet, it is on them. A lot of people are criticizing you. I cover you on the weekends —” Spunt continued.
“I don’t think they are,” Trump interrupted.
“Why have you not met with them?” Spunt went on, adding, “We are in September, there is no deal, there is no hope of a deal. We are two months out from the election.”
“Don’t say there’s no hope. Why do you say there’s no hope? What do you know?” Trump shot back. “What do you know?”
Trump went on to explain that he understood how Pelosi and Schumer operated, saying that they were the ones who were not interested in making a deal.
“Let me just tell you. I know my customers, that’s what I do,” Trump explained. “I know Pelosi, I know Schumer very well. They don’t want to make a deal because they think it’s good for politics if they don’t make a deal.”
“This has nothing to do with anything other than you have to know who you’re dealing with. I do. These are people that — I don’t have a lot of respect, I don’t think they have a lot of respect for the American people,” Trump continued. “I know who I’m dealing with. And I don’t need to meet with them to be turned down.”
The president went on to claim that Pelosi and Schumer were holding out because if they made a deal before the November 3 election and it turned out to be good for the economy, that might translate to a boon for President Trump’s reelection.