President Trump called NBC News White House reporter Peter Alexander “a disgrace” and a “terrible reporter” after he asked about the plane the U.S. has accepted from Qatar to be the next Air Force One.
Mr. Trump was talking at the White House alongside South African President Cyril Ramaphosa about the U.S. president’s claims that South Africa’s Afrikaner community is facing a “genocide.” Mr. Ramaphosa has strongly denied the claim.
Mr. Trump had just finished showing a video that he said proves his claims about the treatment of the White Afrikaner farmers when he opened up the discussion for reporters to ask questions. Mr. Alexander posed a question about the Qatari jet.
“They’re giving the United States a jet, OK? And it’s a great thing. We’re talking about other things. NBC trying to get off the subject of what he just saw,” Mr. Trump said, raising his voice.
“You know, you’re a terrible reporter,” Mr. Trump said. “You’re not smart enough. But if you go into a subject about a jet that was given to the United States Air Force, which is a very nice thing. [The Qataris] also gave $5.1 trillion worth of investment.”
Mr. Trump then suggested that Brian Roberts, the chairman and CEO of NBC parent company Comcast, should be investigated, though he didn’t say why.
“They are so terrible, the way you run that network. You’re a disgrace. No more questions from you,” Mr. Trump said as he continued pointing at Mr. Alexander.
Mr. Trump then turned his head toward Mr. Ramaphosa and said, “His name is Peter something. He’s a terrible reporter.”
After the topic returned to the White African farmers, Mr. Trump wouldn’t let go of his anger at NBC News or Mr. Alexander.
“They’re all these White farmers that are being burned and he asks about the jet that was given,” Mr. Trump said.
“You ought to be ashamed. You’re such a bad reporter,” he said to Mr. Alexander.
Earlier Wednesday, the Defense Department announced it has accepted a Boeing 747 jetliner as a gift from the Qatari government and the Air Force will figure out to upgrade it so it can be used as Mr. Trump’s Air Force One.
The plane, which has been estimated to cost $400 million, will require extensive work before it can be considered secure enough to carry the president.
Democrats and even some Trump allies such as Ben Shapiro and Laura Loomer have condemned the plan to accept the plane, arguing that accepting the jet is poor optics and overlooks Qatar’s sketchy human rights record.
Rep. Ritchie Torres, New York Democrat, sent a letter to the Government Accountability Office this month, noting that the plane would be the single most expensive gift after Mr. Trump leaves office. He described the deal as a “flying grift,” arguing it violates the Emoluments Clause of the U.S. Constitution, which “explicitly prohibits any person holding office from accepting ‘any present, Emolument, Office or Title, of any kind whatsoever, from any King, Prince or foreign state.’”
