Trump ‘threatened CNN journo with Secret Service if she didn’t move to the back.
Trump ‘threatened CNN journo with Secret Service if she didn’t move to the back
DONALD Trump cut short his coronavirus press briefing without taking any questions after a CNN reporter refused to move to the back of the room, it’s claimed.
Kaitlan Collins, the news channel’s White House Correspondent, said officials asked her to swap with another reporter several rows behind her, minutes before Trump arrived.
Reporters' seats are assigned in advance via the White House Correspondents Association (WHCA), and major TV networks always sit at the front.
When asked to shift, Collins cited guidelines and refused to switch with journalist Chris Johnson, who was sitting in the sixth row — and who also refused to move.
It’s claimed a White House official suggested the Secret Service would get involved if the pair did not swap seats.
Yet this did not happen and moments later, the president entered the room for the briefing only to cut it short after 22 minutes having taken no questions.
It comes after Trump had a face off with Collins at a briefing on Thursday as he addressed a question from another reporter about Kim Jong-Un's health amid reports he was severely ill.
When Collins tried to follow up with her own question, Trump immediately cut her off, saying: "No, that’s enough. The problem is, you don’t write the truth."
'CNN IS FAKE NEWS... DON'T TALK TO ME'
Collins tried to stand her ground, but Trump said: "No, not CNN. I told you, CNN is fake news. Don’t talk to me."
But while Trump famously hates CNN, the White House does not control press seating.
It is handled by the WHCA.
According to the Washington Post, the White House agreed to the current seating plan last month, after social distancing guidelines were enacted.
Jonathan Karl, the WHCA president, said: "The WHCA has a committee that determines seating in keeping with our mission of ensuring maximum access and accountability on behalf of the American people."
Tweeting about the incident, Collins said: "Tonight the White House tried to have me, and only me, swap seats with another reporter several rows back.
"We both refused to move from our seats that were assigned well in advance.
"The briefing was short, the president took no questions and it proceeded as planned."
Yahoo News reporter Hunter Walker added: "White House staff just came into the briefing room and informed the print pooler that they want them to swap seats with CNN.
"That would move CNN to the back row from the front. WHCA made these seat assignments not staff.
"WH staffer threatened to have Secret Service enforce the swap. WHCA board members ran back into the press office to discuss."
Over the weekend Trump said he would be cancelling the daily briefings because "they weren't 'worth the time and effort".
He tweeted: "What is the purpose of having White House News Conferences when the Lamestream Media asks nothing but hostile questions, & then refuses to report the truth or facts accurately.
"They get record ratings, & the American people get nothing but Fake News," he added. "Not worth the time & effort!"
Earlier, he tweeted: "Was just informed that the Fake News from the Thursday White House Press Conference had me speaking & asking questions of Dr. Deborah Birx.
"Wrong, I was speaking to our Laboratory expert, not Deborah, about sunlight etc. & the CoronaVirus. The Lamestream Media is corrupt & sick!"
His tirade came after numerous publications covered his comments about injecting coronavirus patients with "disinfectant" to treat the deadly bug this week.
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