PRESIDENT Donald Trump lashed out at a reporter who asked him to calm scared Americans during the relentless coronavirus pandemic.
When asked by NBC News reporter Peter Alexander what he would tell scared Americans during this time of crisis, the president called him a "terrible reporter" and said it was a "nasty question."
"You are a bad reporter, I would say to focus on reporting and not sensationalism," Trump retorted before bashing NBC and Comcast.
Alexander rehashed the exchange on Twitter after the press conference, noting that he gave both Trump and Vice President Mike Pence an opportunity to reassure the American public.
"I offered both Pres Trump and VP Pence an opportunity to reassure Americans," he tweeted.
"Simple question: "What do you say to Americans who are scared?"
"Trump, to me: "I say, you're a terrible reporter."
"Pence, an hour later: "Don't be afraid. Be vigilant.""
The testy exchange happened Friday during a White House coronavirus task force briefing, in which Trump appeared to minimize the escalating panic among the American public.
He focused on his optimism about possible drug treatments for COVID-19 – despite one of his government scientists claiming that not all were proven.
Dr. Anthony Fauci, Trump's director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, said at Friday's daily briefing that any evidence about drug therapies currently being tested was purely "anecdotal" and not a "definitive statement."
Nevertheless, Trump said he felt "good" about the treatments and noted that the government already ordered "millions of units" on them.
Alexander also pressed the president on his claims, asking whether his "positive spin" on the potential treatments was simply giving Americans false hope.
"Is it possible that your impulse to put a positive spin on things may be giving Americans a false sense of hope?" the reporter asked.
"No I don't think so," Trump replied.
"I feel good about it. That's all it is, a feeling."
Later in the news conference, the president used a question from another reporter as leverage for another attack on Alexander.
"I've dealt with Peter for a long time, and I think Peter is not a good journalist," Trump said.
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