'You're Done Jim': Acosta Forced Out of White House by Trump Staffer
CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta had yet another run-in with President Donald Trump’s communications staff on Monday as he sought to question Trump at the conclusion of an event attended by Italian Prime Minister Giuseppe Conte.
Acosta was part of the spray of reporters allowed in the Oval Office to cover a photo opportunity and brief remarks by the president before a private meeting between Trump and Conte.
Reporters often call out questions at the end of such media events, which the president at times chooses to answer.
This time, Trump indicated the event was over and aides quickly began calling for reporters to leave the room.
Acosta yelled out to the president over the aides’ directions, “If there is no collusion, why does Rudy Giuliani keep saying there is no crime in collusion?”
“Make your way out. Let’s go.” a White House staffer can be heard loudly directing.
Undeterred, the CNN reporter switched subjects, “Mr. President, do you think other countries should not allow children to stay with their parents, if they enter the country illegally?”
Now the staffer aimed her instructions specifically at Acosta: “Move, Jim, let’s go. Keep going, Jim, let’s go. Jim, we’re leaving. Come on, Jim. Go. We’re done.”
Acosta shared audio of his being ordered to leave on Twitter.
“This audio is a pretty good example of how the WH aides also known as press wranglers are almost screaming as reporters try to ask questions of Trump in our ‘pool sprays,'” he wrote.
This audio is a pretty good example of how the WH aides also known as press wranglers are almost screaming as reporters try to ask questions of Trump in our “pool sprays.” https://t.co/rngjFTf93b
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) July 30, 2018
In June, Acosta was caught on a hot mic proudly proclaiming that he intentionally disrupted a Trump signing ceremony with North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un in Singapore.
Acosta said on the audio that he shouted questions during the ceremony because he was not among the reporters chosen to witness an earlier meeting between the two leaders.
“Hey, if they’re not going to let me in the f—ing meeting, that’s what happens. That’s the way it goes, baby,” the CNN reporter said.
CNN's Jim Acosta interrupts a historic signing ceremony with North Korea, shouts questions at President Trump. #TrumpKimSummit pic.twitter.com/6SJPOFvcto
— Ryan Saavedra (@RealSaavedra) June 12, 2018
The questioning followed a similar pattern as Monday’s, with first one that could be seen as a reasonable query in light of the news of the day, followed by one clearly meant to embarrass the president or the other leader present.
While Trump and Kim signed the denuclearization agreement, Acosta shouted out, “Mr. President, did we agree to denuclearize?”
Trump replied, “We’re starting that process very quickly. Very, very quickly, absolutely.”
Acosta followed up, asking, “Did you talk about Otto Warmbier, sir?”
The president ignored the question.
During an Oval Office meeting in January with Kazakhstan President Nursultan Nazarbayev, Acosta called out to Trump as the media availability was ending. “Mr. President, did you say you want more people to come in (to the U.S.) from Norway?” Acosta said.
“I want them to come in from everywhere, everywhere,” Trump answered. He then said, “Thank you, very much” emphasizing it was time for the media to leave.
Not accepting that response, Acosta followed up more forcefully implying Trump is a racist.
“Just Caucasian or white countries or do you want people to come in from other parts of the world where there are people of color?” Acosta queried.
Trump then pointed in the direction of the door and saying, “Out.”
Reporter: "Did you say that you wanted more people to come in from Norway?"
President Trump: "I want them to come in from everywhere, everywhere." pic.twitter.com/ImczjH0HLL
— NBC News (@NBCNews) January 16, 2018
Acosta often tweets about his White House run-ins afterward, which makes it a pretty good possibility that they are less about getting the news than becoming part of the story himself.
When I tried to follow up on this in the Oval Office, Trump told me to get "out." We then went to the Roosevelt Room where WH aides obstructed us from asking questions. https://t.co/vuEIv1jvso
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 16, 2018
Trump and Acosta have had several exchanges over the past year, with Trump labeling him as part of “fake news” CNN January, 2017, which he downgraded to “very fake news” the following month.
The way Acosta’s been going, it’s likely to be even more downhill from here.
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