White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany chastised CNN’s Jim Acosta for interrupting her and continuing to talk over her during Friday’s press briefing.
Acosta had asked several questions about a video, shared by President Donald Trump, that Twitter earmarked as “manipulated media” — and then proceeded to talk over McEnany while she attempted to respond to his questions. (RELATED: Kayleigh McEnany: John Bolton Has Replaced James Comey As ‘Most Disliked Man In America’)
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When McEnany first gave Acosta the go-ahead to speak, she joked about limiting him to 20 questions. He began with several questions about the president’s planned rally in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and whether or not she or other administration officials might wear masks at the event.
McEnany explained that, due to regular testing, she felt safe not wearing one — but that other officials would be making their own decisions on the matter.
Acosta then turned his questions to the video, posted originally by @CarpeDonktum:
Thank you Mr. President! https://t.co/V8E0Tk3ztQ
— Carpe Donktum???? (@CarpeDonktum) June 19, 2020
“Why is the president sharing fake videos on Twitter about two toddlers who are obviously showing a lot of love for one another? It seems as though he is exploiting children to make some sort of political point,” Acosta said. “Why was he sharing fake videos?”
“He was making a point about CNN specifically,” McEnany replied, adding, “A point that CNN has regularly taken him out of context, that in 2019, CNN misleadingly aired a clip from a viewpoint repeatedly to falsely accuse the Covington boys of being, quote, “students in MAGA gear harassing a Native AmericanElder.”
“So you’re saying it is okay to exploit two toddlers hugging one another on a sidewalk to make some sort of political point,” Acosta continued. “As you know, the president has described members of the press as fake news during the course of this administration, when you share fake videos like that, doesn’t that make you fake news?”
“I think the president was making satirical point that was quite funny if you go and actually watch the video,” McEnany responded.
Acosta continued to interrupt and talk over McEnany, prompting her to respond, “You gotta let me finish, Jim, this isn’t a cable news segment, I am answering your question from the White House podium.”
McEnany went on to challenge Acosta over his network’s coverage of protests in contrast to coverage of Trump rallies.
“It’s appalling, you have one person on your network saying this is a celebration in the streets, a carnival like atmosphere. There is a guy with a sign that says free hugs … You celebrate hugging in the context of a protest, but in a Trump rally where we celebrate historic low African American unemployment, criminal justice reform, HBCUs — that rally is not allowed because guess what, Jim, it doesn’t fit the ideological agenda of CNN,” she said.