NEW
YORK (AP) — President Donald Trump abruptly ended his White House news
conference Monday following combative exchanges with reporters Weijia
Jiang of CBS News and Kaitlan Collins of CNN.
Jiang
asked Trump why he was putting so much emphasis on the amount of
coronavirus tests that have been conducted in the United States.
“Why
does that matter?” Jiang asked. “Why is this a global competition to
you if everyday Americans are still losing their lives and we’re still
seeing more cases every day?”
Trump
replied that “they’re losing their lives everywhere in the world. And
maybe that’s a question you should ask China. Don’t ask me. Ask China
that question.”
He called for another question, and there was no immediate response.
“Sir,
why are you saying that to me, specifically?” Jiang asked. Jiang, who
has worked for CBS News since 2015, was born in Xiamen, China, and
emigrated to the United States with her family at age 2.
Trump said he would say that to “anyone who asks a nasty question.”
“It’s not a nasty question,” Jiang said. “Why does that matter?”
Trump
again asked for another question, then said, “Nah, that’s OK” and waved
off CNN’s Collins when she approached the microphone.
“You pointed to me,” Collins said.
The
president said, “I pointed to you and you didn’t respond.” Collins said
she was giving Jiang the time to finish her questioning.
“Can I ask a question?” Collins said.
With that, Trump called an end to the news conference, held in the White House Rose Garden, and walked away.
Jiang
and Collins wore masks to the news conference, as did most reporters,
following the recent reports that two White House employees — an aide to
Vice President Mike Pence and a valet to the president — had tested
positive for the coronavirus.
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