During a press gaggle early Wednesday afternoon outside the White House, President Donald Trump absolutely tore into CNN, NBC News, The New York Times, and particularly NBC White House correspondent Peter Alexander as “an organ of the Democrats” who’s “the most biased reporter” that makes NBC News less credible than CNN.
Yikes. That one’s gonna leave a mark!
Alexander first poked at Trump with a question about a debate whether to let the G-7 return to being the G-8 by allowing Russia back in following their annexation of Crimea and support for separatists occupying eastern Ukraine:
You said Russia was kicked out of the G-8 because they outsmarted — you said Russia was kicked out of the G-8 because they outsmarted Obama. in fact it was because they annexed Crimea. You know that. They're still there. Why let them back in? They're still there. Why let them back in? They're still there. Why let them in now?
The President repeatedly shot back that “Russia outsmarted President Obama” with their shenanigans yielding little in the way of severe consequences and calling Obama’s bluff that such a move would not be allowed to stand. In the midst of that answer, however, Trump informed Alexander that he’d know better “[i]f you’d stop being an organ of the Democrats.”
Less than ten minutes later in the gaggle, Alexander began shouting at the President about why he’s “attack[ing] Joe Biden for his gaffes” despite he himself committing them. Needless to say, Trump was not pleased by this (click “expand”):
TRUMP: This guy is the most biased reporter. NBC. You know, I made a lot of money for NBC with The Apprentice, and I used to like them, but they are the most biased. Peter is such a biased —
ALEXANDER: But what about Biden’s gaffes?
TRUMP: — you should — you should — you should be able to ask a question, same question, in a better way.
ALEXANDER: I’ll ask it.
TRUMP: You are so obviously biased, a that's why the public has no confidence in the media.
Trump reiterated that “Joe Biden doesn’t have it,” but Alexander interjected to again try to ask his question which, over the sounds of a roaring Marine One, revolved around the President’s inadvertent utterance following the El Paso and Dayton shootings that latter took place “in Toledo when it happened in Dayton.”
Alexander complained that, in turn, it might not be “fair game” to then call out the former Vice President.
An unidentified female reporter shifted gears to the leaked transcript from The New York Times town hall that admitted the paper has shifted to painting Trump and his cause as racist after their Russian collusion narrative fell apart.
Trump replied that “The New York Times now has totally lost credibility” and that, like their Russia narrative, the new obsession on race won’t either.
Before moving on, Trump continued to lay into The Times and returned to NBC News by suggesting that they’re worse than CNN while pointing at whoever was there with CNN (presumably White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins) (click “expand”):
But The New York Times, they are trying everything they can. It is a totally dishonest newspaper. It's a paper that really has lost tremendous credibility. And let me tell you. In six years, or maybe ten or 14, right? In six years when I'm not here, The New York Times goes out of business very quickly. And you know who else goes out? Like NBC News — NBC News has less credibility, in my opinion, with guys like you, then CNN. I think CNN has more credibility than NBC News. [REPORTERS SHOUTING] [TO KAITLAN COLLINS] Did you hear what I said? I said you have more credibility than this guy. Go ahead. And that's not saying much, because I don't think — you know what? You know why? Because I don't think you have very much credibility, but I will tell you this — NBC, I think, has less credibility than CNN. That's not saying much, but that's the way I feel.
In between the two rounds of this feud, viewers saw another instance of how the media, with rhetoric winks and nods, were rooting for a recession. Here was a question asked of Trump that appeared to come from ABC’s Kyra Phillips: “Mr. President — so taking — taking America into a recession — is it worth it? And do Americans need to back that up?”
Despite the insistence by liberal journalists that many of them weren’t cheering for a recession, the President made clear how he felt about that debate (which was bolstered by this excellent supercut from our friend David Rutz at the Washington Free Beacon) (click “expand”):
So, the fake news of which many of you are members is trying to convince the public to have a recession. “Let's have a recession!” The United States is doing phenomenally well, but one thing I have to do is economically take on China because China has been ripping us off for many years. President Clinton, President Bush, and President Obama and others should have done this long before me. My life would be much easier — although I enjoy doing it — but by my life would be much easier if I let China continue to rip off United States. It would be much easier, but I can't do that. We are winning against China. They’ve lost two and a half million jobs in a very short period of time. They want to make a deal. It's got to be a deal that's good for the United States where they want to make a deal, probably we will make a deal, but if I didn't do that and I'm not doing it — somebody said it’s Trump’s trade war. This isn’t my trade war. This is a trade war that should have taken place a long time ago, by a lot of other presidents. Over the last five or six years, China has made $500 billion. $500 billion. Ripped it out of the United States. Not only that — if you take a look, intellectual property theft. Add that to it and add a lot of other things to it.
To see the relevant transcript from August 21's press gaggle, click “expand.”
White House press gaggle
August 21, 2019
12:42 p.m. EasternPETER ALEXANDER: You said Russia was kicked out of the G-8 because they outsmarted — you said Russia was kicked out of the G-8 because they outsmarted Obama. in fact it was because they annexed Crimea. You know that. They're still there.
PRESIDENT DONALD TRUMP: That was outsmarting Obama.
ALEXANDER: Why let them back in? They're still there. Why let them back in?
TRUMP: That was outsmarting Obama. Russia outsmarted President Obama. They took over during his term, not during mine. Crimea.
ALEXANDER: They're still there. Why let them in now?
TRUMP: They took over Crimea. If you’d stop being an organ of the Democrats. I mean, you know, you’d let me answer the question, I’ll answer it very easily. It's a very simple question. The fact is President Putin totally outsmarted President Obama on Crimea and other things, including the red line in the sand. He outsmarted, he made a living on outsmarting President Obama. And frankly, because of it, Obama was upset and he got Obama out of what was the G-8 into the G-7. It’s come up. Should we put Russia back in? We sped a lot of time talking about Russia at those meetings. And they are not there. I think it must be a good thing if Russia were there, so we could speak directly, not have to speak all the, you know, by telephone and other things. Here's the thing — it's a vote of what is now of the G-7. They were taken out because Putin outsmarted on Crimea, the red line, and other things, totally outsmarted Obama. Obama was upset. They took him out. I think Russia should be a part of it, because we’re looking for world peace and other things. Trade and other things and it would be a lot easier to have Russia in her they had always been.
(.....)
12:45 p.m. Eastern
KYRA PHILLIPS: Mr. President — so taking — taking America into a recession — is it worth it? And do Americans need to back that up?
TRUMP: So, the fake news of which many of you are members is trying to convince the public to have a recession. “Let's have a recession!” The United States is doing phenomenally well, but one thing I have to do is economically take on China because China has been ripping us off for many years. President Clinton, President Bush, and President Obama and others should have done this long before me. My life would be much easier — although I enjoy doing it — but by my life would be much easier if I let China continue to rip off United States. It would be much easier, but I can't do that. We are winning against China. They’ve lost two and a half million jobs in a very short period of time. They want to make a deal. It's got to be a deal that's good for the United States where they want to make a deal, probably we will make a deal, but if I didn't do that and I'm not doing it — somebody said it’s Trump’s trade war. This isn’t my trade war. This is a trade war that should have taken place a long time ago, by a lot of other presidents. Over the last five or six years, China has made $500 billion. $500 billion. Ripped it out of the United States. Not only that — if you take a look, intellectual property theft. Add that to it and add a lot of other things to it. So, somebody — excuse me. Somebody had to do it. I am the chosen one. Somebody had to do it. So I'm taking on China. I'm taking on China on trade. And you know what? We’re winning. We are the piggy bank. We are the one that all these countries, including the European Union, wants to rob and takes advantage of. The European Union, $200 billion. China, more than $500 billion. Sorry, I was put here by people — I was put here by people to do a great job and that's what I'm doing and nobody has done a job like I've done. Now, would China rather wait for a little more than a year and try and get sleepy Joe Biden to negotiate with inset of President Trump? Maybe. But I don't think so. You know why? They are losing too many jobs, too fast. They had the worst year in 27 years. But I think it was actually 50 or 54 years. It was the worst year they've had in have a century and that's because of me. I'm not proud of that, but they want to negotiate. And Sleepy Joe does have a clue. Sleepy Joe said, “oh, China is wonderful.” Well, China is wonderful for China. But I'm wonderful for the USA.
(....)
12:51 p.m. Eastern
ALEXANDER: What about Joe Biden’s gaffes? Why do you attack — why do you attack Joe Biden for his gaffes but after —
TRUMP: This guy is the most biased reporter. NBC. You know, I made a lot of money for NBC with The Apprentice, and I used to like them, but they are the most biased. Peter is such a biased —
ALEXANDER: But what about Biden’s gaffes?
TRUMP: — you should — you should — you should be able to ask a question, same question, in a better way.
ALEXANDER: I’ll ask it.
TRUMP: You are so obviously biased, a that's why the public has no confidence in the media. Go ahead. Give me — go ahead.
ALEXANDER: But what about Joe Biden’s gaffes? I’ll ask my question.
TRUMP: Joe Biden doesn’t have it.
ALEXANDER: You said — you said after the mass shooting happened in Dayton —
TRUMP: Let me just tell you about Joe Biden. Joe Biden doesn't it.
ALEXANDER: — in Toledo. You said that the mass shooting happened in Toledo when it happened in Dayton. So is that fair game?
TRUMP: Joe Biden doesn’t have it. Go ahead.
ALEXANDER: Is that fair game, sir?
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE REPORTER: What did you think about — what did you think about the leaked transcript from The New York Times [INAUDIBLE]?
TRUMP: Well, I think The New York Times now has totally lost credibility. They've given up on the Russian collusion delusion and now they’re doing is they’re trying the “racist” deal and that's not going to work because I'm the least racist person ever to serve in office, okay? I am the least racist person. But The New York Times, they are trying everything they can. It is a totally dishonest newspaper. It's a paper that really has lost tremendous credibility. And let me tell you. In six years, or maybe ten or 14, right? In six years when I'm not here, The New York Times goes out of business very quickly. And you know who else goes out? Like NBC News — NBC News has less credibility, in my opinion, with guys like you, then CNN. I think CNN has more credibility than NBC News. [REPORTERS SHOUTING] [TO KAITLAN COLLINS] Did you hear what I said? I said you have more credibility than this guy. Go ahead. And that's not saying much, because I don't think — you know what? You know why? Because I don't think you have very much credibility, but I will tell you this — NBC, I think, has less credibility than CNN. That's not saying much, but that's the way I feel.
