One of the more bizarre episodes–and there were several–of today’s Trump news conference was the exchange between Urban Radio Networks’ White House correspondent April Ryan and Pres. Trump. First, here’s how it played out:
Ryan: When you say the inner cities are you going to include the CBC, Mr. President, in your conversations with your urban agenda, your inner city agenda…
Trump: I’m I going to include who?
Ryan: Are you going to include the Congressional Black Caucus and the…
Trump: Well I would. I’ll tell you what, do you want to set up the meeting?
Ryan: No. No. No. I’m just a reporter…
Trump: Are they friends of yours? Set up the meeting…
Ryan: I know some of them, but…
Trump: Let’s go. Set up a meeting. I would love to meet with the black caucus. The Congressional Black Caucus, I think it’s great.
In an interview later on MSNBC, Ryan said she was surprised when Pres. Trump asked her to set up the meeting. “I am not a facilitator. I am not a convener. I am a White House correspondent.”
.@AprilDRyan responds to Trump's remarks about her & the CBC: "I am not a facilitator…I am a White House correspondent. I am a reporter." pic.twitter.com/ogjNkEdPUm
— Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 16, 2017
Meanwhile, the CBC says it reached out to Trump the day before his inauguration to have such a meeting.
Hi, @realDonaldTrump. We’re the CBC. We sent you a letter on January 19, but you never wrote us back. Sad! Letter: https://t.co/58KiuHmITF
— The CBC (@OfficialCBC) February 16, 2017