Rep. Randy Weber (R-TX) called for CNN reporter Jim Acosta to be “fired & prohibited” from future press conferences for what he described as Acosta’s “disrespectful” behavior toward Donald Trump on Wednesday.
Weber’s assertion came in the form of a tweet Thursday morning:
The CNN reporter who was disruptive to the press briefing, & disrespectful to Trump-should be fired & prohibited from any press briefings.
— Randy Weber (@TXRandy14) January 12, 2017
After Trump disparaged CNN’s reporting that the U.S. intelligence community presented him with a document outlining allegations about ties between him and Russia, Acosta had asked Trump repeatedly: “Could you give us a chance? You’re attacking our news organization, can you give us a chance to ask a question, sir?”
“Don’t be rude. I’m not going to give you a question,” Trump responded. “You are fake news.”
Weber was not alone in his view of that exchange. Acosta himself reported after Wednesday’s press conference, during which Donald Trump refused to let him ask a question, that incoming White House press secretary Sean Spicer had threatened to kick him out of the presser should he continue to petition Trump.
Afterwards, in an interview with Fox News’ Lou Dobbs, Spicer insisted that he made that threat after the event had ended, and wrote that assertions otherwise were “false.” Spicer also retweeted two Twitter users who suggested Acosta’s credentials be taken away and wrote that Acosta owed Trump “an apology.”