Last updated on July 17th, 2023 at 10:00 pm
President Trump saw his attempt to manipulate the media fail, as he flattered a CNN reporter only to have her respond with a tough question about whether his campaign contacted Russia during the election. For the record, Trump didn’t answer her question, and reporters were escorted out of the Oval Office.
According to the White House pool report as provided to PoliticusUSA the following exchanged happened in the Oval Office:
The pool was then rushed into the Oval. POTUS and Benjamin Netanyahu sat in two chairs set up in front of the fireplace. FLOTUS sat on the couch to POTUS’s right. Sara Netanyahu sat on the opposite couch.
POTUS referred to the press as: “The nicest people over there.”
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He called out to CNN’s Sara Murray and complimented a recent story. She asked POTUS to comment on whether his advisors contacted Russian intelligence officer during the campaign.
Trump did not respond to her question. Pool was asked to leave.
Trump has used the tactic of flattering reporters for coverage that he likes for decades, but when he tried it on CNN’s Sara Murray, he got a tough question that he refused to answer on whether or not his campaign was in contact with Russia during the election.
President Trump normally can’t stop talking, but this was at least the third occasion in the last two days that he refused to answer questions about his campaign’s conduct with Russia.
The President’s refusal to answer is only serving to add fuel to the growing fire.
Flattery is getting him nowhere, and Trump will soon have to face the fact that his old tricks are not going to get him out of the Russia scandal. As president, dime store PR isn’t going to fool the press.
Donald Trump’s silence is evidence that this country is quickly moving towards a Constitutional crisis.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
