CNN White House reporter Jim Acosta tried to bait President Donald Trump at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland on Thursday by setting him up with a nice question about the forum before going in for the attempted heckling-style kill shot question that Trump ignored twice.
Trump was descending a staircase with the press assembled just off the landing. Acosta called out a nice question, “Mr. President, how’s the conference going?”
Trump answered as he continued down the staircase, “Really good. Really good. Very successful.”
Another reporter asked, “What’s your message to Davos?” as Acosta moved in for the kill shot question but was too slow on the draw, yelling, “Mr. President, Mr. President, how can you be…” and stopping himself as Trump answered the “message” question.
Video posted by CNN’s Elizabeth Landers cuts off midway through Trump’s comments.
.@acosta asks the president how the meetings at Davos are going pic.twitter.com/NxF3YyJiPU
— Elizabeth Landers (@ElizLanders) January 25, 2018
Acosta posted more video from Landers that covers the entire exchange at the bottom of the staircase.
Trump, “The message is…It went great for us (Meredith(?)) and we want great peace. And I think that really is the message. It’s been going really well. A lot of people are coming back to the United States. We are seeing tremendous investment. And, uh, today’s been a very exciting day, a very good day and great for our country. Thank you very much.”
Acosta yelled after Trump finished, “Mr. President! Can you be America First but also be rubbing elbows with all these bigwigs?”
Trump ignored him and waved to someone out of camera range.
Acosta yelled at Trump again, “Mr. President! How can you be America First when you’re rubbing elbows with all these bigwigs, sir?
Acosta tweeted his humiliation, “After Trump says of Davos “It’s been really successful…” I asked him how he can be America First if he’s rubbing elbows with big wigs. He did not respond. Video from @ElizLanders”
After Trump says of Davos “It’s been really successful…” I asked him how he can be America First if he’s rubbing elbows with big wigs. He did not respond. Video from @ElizLanders pic.twitter.com/jPWWRfTLir
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) January 25, 2018
This is CNN.
