U.S. President Donald Trump clashed sharply with CBS News chief White House correspondent Nancy Cordes during a Thursday press conference, dismissing her questions about the vetting of an Afghan shooting suspect and launching into a series of personal attacks.
The confrontation took place after reporters asked about Rahmanullah Lakanwal, 29, the Afghan man accused of shooting two National Guard members in Washington, D.C. Trump insisted the suspect’s entry into the U.S. reflected a broader failure of immigration policy, while Cordes cited federal findings to the contrary.
Cordes Challenges Trump With Federal Records
Cordes began by noting:
“Federal officials said the suspect worked very closely with the CIA in Afghanistan for years, that he was vetted and the vetting came up clean.”
She followed up with a second question referencing the Department of Justice inspector general:
“Actually, your DOJ IG just reported this year that there was thorough vetting by DHS and by the FBI of these Afghans who were brought into the U.S., so why do you blame the Biden administration for what this man did?”
Trump Rejects the Findings and Insults the Reporter
Trump immediately dismissed her statements, saying:
“He went cuckoo. I mean, he went nuts.”
He argued that Afghan evacuees arrived “unvetted,” adding:
“They came in on a plane along with thousands of other people that shouldn’t be here.”
But the exchange escalated when Cordes pressed again.
Trump responded directly:
“Because they let them in. Are you stupid? Are you a stupid person?”
He continued:
“You’re just asking questions because you’re a stupid person.”
He then launched into a broader criticism of the Afghanistan withdrawal:
“They came in unvetted, unchecked. It was disgraceful. The whole Afghanistan situation was a mess. It should’ve never taken place… we would’ve left from Bagram, and we would’ve kept Bagram by the way.”
Cordes remained composed, occasionally nodding as Trump continued speaking over her.
Part of a Pattern of Tense Media Exchanges
The confrontation adds to a string of recent incidents in which Trump has lashed out at reporters.
Earlier this month aboard Air Force One, Trump snapped at Bloomberg reporter Catherine Lucey as she tried to ask a question about Jeffrey Epstein files:
“Quiet, quiet piggy!”
Days afterward, during another press availability, Trump again confronted Lucey when she attempted to clarify a question about a Tucker Carlson interview:
“Will you let me finish my statement? You are the worst! You’re with Bloomberg, right? You are the worst! I don’t know why they even have you.”
In October, Trump also abruptly shut down a question from an ABC News journalist, continuing a pattern of strained and combative exchanges with the press.
Source:Africa Publicity
