Donald Trump has accused a journalist of posing a racist question when she asked him about white nationalists at a chaotic post-midterm press conference.
The president was being quizzed on his decision to brand himself a nationalist, with the reporter saying it could be seen as “emboldening white nationalists”.
PBS reporter Yamiche Alcindor, who asked the question, was interrupted by the US leader who told her: “I don’t know why you would say that, that’s such a racist question”.
Ms Alcindor repeatedly tried to finish her sentence as Mr Trump talked over her during the heated conference on Wednesday evening.
The president said: “I love our country. I do. You have nationalists, you have globalists. I also love the world.
“I don’t mind helping the world but we’ve got to straighten out our country first. We have a lot of problems.
“But to say that, what you said, is so insulting to me. It’s a very terrible thing that you said.”
Ms Alcindor pressed on. She said: “There are some people who say the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists because of your rhetoric. What do you say to that?"
On Twitter following the press conference, she added: "Even if President Trump doesn't intend it, some see him as directly appealing to the racists.”
Ms Alcindor was not the only journalist who was personally attacked by Mr Trump during the press conference.
Mr Trump unloaded a tirade towards CNN's White House correspondent Jim Acosta, calling him a “terrible person” as he stonewalled questions over his midterm campaign.
"CNN should be ashamed of themselves having you working for them. You are rude, terrible person,” the president said.
Peter Alexander, the White House Correspondent for NBC News, leapt to Mr Acosta's defence, with Trump firing back: "I'm not a big fan of yours either, to be honest."
The meeting followed the results of the midterm elections which saw the Democrats take the House of Representatives in a huge blow to Mr Trump and his Republican party.
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