Donald Trump has made an increasingly frequent habit of ending media briefings prematurely when reporters challenge him.
9 Aug, 2020
news.com.au
By: Alex Turner-Cohen
US President Donald Trump has once again cut a media conference short, turning and walking away from the lectern after being called out for a recurring fib.
It was a busy day for the commander in chief, who also signed four executive orders on coronavirus relief measures, bypassing Congress.
During the press conference at his golf club in Bedminster, New Jersey, Trump repeated his frequent false claim that he was responsible for passing a policy called Veterans Choice.
"They've been trying to get that passed for decades and decades and decades, and no president's ever been able to do it. And we got it done," he said.
Veterans Choice is a healthcare programme that allows American military veterans to see private sector doctors, outside the US Government's Veterans Affairs system, if they would otherwise have to wait too long for an appointment.
It was passed into law in 2014, when Trump's predecessor Barack Obama was president. Trump had nothing to do with it.
CBS reporter Paula Reid challenged the President on his discredited claim.
"Why do you keep saying that you passed Veterans Choice?" she asked, shouting over Trump and the cheering members of his club – who, for some reason, had been invited to the media conference – to be heard.
Trump tried to call on a different reporter.
"OK, go ahead," he said, pointing to someone else.
"It was passed in 2014. But it was a false statement, sir," Reid continued.
"OK, thank you very much everybody. Thank you very much," the President said, abruptly ending the event and walking away.
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