Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said Wednesday that Univision anchor Jorge Ramos, who was escorted from a Trump press conference in Iowa Tuesday after repeatedly trying to ask a question, was “totally out of line” and “ranting and raving like a madman.”
“I will tell you, he was totally out of line last night. I was asking and being asked a question from another reporter,” Mr. Trump said on NBC’s “Today” show. “I would have gotten to him very quickly, and he stood up and started ranting and raving like a madman, and frankly, he was out of line, and most people, in fact most newspaper reports said I handled it very well.”
“He was totally, absolutely out of line,” he said.
In Iowa Tuesday, Mr. Trump told Mr. Ramos to sit down as he was trying to call on another reporter.
“Excuse me, sit down, you weren’t called. Sit down,” Mr. Trump said. “Sit down.”
“I have the right to ask a question,” Mr. Ramos said.
SEE ALSO: Donald Trump tosses out Univision anchor Jorge Ramos from Iowa press conference
“No you don’t. You haven’t been called,” Mr. Trump said.
“I have the right to ask a question,” Mr. Ramos said.
“Go back to Univision,” Mr. Trump said.
Mr. Ramos was escorted from the room soon afterward before returning later.
“I didn’t escort him out. You’ll have to talk to security. Whoever security is escorted him out,” Mr. Trump said. “You’re asking me questions — he just stands up and starts screaming so, you know, maybe he’s at fault also. But I don’t consider that. I mean, somebody walked him out, I don’t even know where he is. I don’t mind if he comes back, frankly.”
Mr. Trump said Tuesday he was “out of order.”
“I would take his question in two seconds, but he stood up and started screaming,” he said. “If he wanted to come back in, I’d love to have him come, but you can’t just stand up and scream. I was saying to somebody else … I was saying, yes, and this guy stands up and starts screaming. He’s obviously a very emotional person, OK? So I have no problem with it. I don’t know him, I have no idea, but I would certainly love to have questions from him.”
“Good to have you back,” Mr. Trump said later upon Mr. Ramos’s return, and the two subsequently discussed the legality of birthright citizenship.
Asked how he would build a 1,900-mile wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, Mr. Trump said: “Very easy — I’m a builder. That’s easy … what’s more complicated is building a building that’s 95 stories tall, OK?”
At one point, Mr. Trump asked Mr. Ramos if he knew how much he was suing Univision for.
“It’s 500 million, OK? Good,” Mr. Trump said. “And they’re very concerned about it, I have to tell you. I’m very good at this stuff.”
Isaac Lee, chief executive officer of Univision, issued a statement in response, according to The Associated Press: “We’d love for Mr. Trump to sit down for an in-depth interview with Jorge to talk about the specifics of his proposals.”
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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