President Trump held one of the most extraordinary press conferences in White House history Wednesday to recount the results of the midterm elections. His chief target was a “hostile” press corps that he said treated him badly.
Here is an exchange with Jim Acosta, CNN’s chief White House correspondent. This transcript has been lightly edited for clarity.
Acosta: I wanted to challenge you on one of the statements that you made in the tail end of the campaign in the midterms that …
Trump: Here we go.
Acosta: Well, I — if you don’t mind, Mr. President …
Trump: Let’s go. Let’s go. Come on.
Acosta: … that this caravan was an invasion. As you know, Mr. President …
Trump: I consider it to be an invasion.
Acosta: As you know, Mr. President, the caravan was not an invasion. It’s a group of migrants moving up from Central America towards the border with the U.S. And …
Trump: Thank you for telling me that. I appreciate it.
Acosta: … why did you characterize it as such?
Trump: Because I consider it an invasion. You and I have a difference of opinion.
Acosta: But do you think that you demonized immigrants in this election to try to keep …
Trump: Not at all. No, not at all. I want them to come into the country, but they have to come in legally. You know, they have to come in, Jim, through a process. I want it to be a process. And I want people to come in. And we need the people here …
Acosta: Right. But your campaign had an ad showing migrants climbing over walls and so on …
Trump: Well, that’s true. … They weren’t actors.
Acosta: They’re not going to be doing that.
Trump: They weren’t actors. Well, no, it was true. Do you think they were actors? They weren’t actors. They didn’t come from Hollywood. … This was an actual — you know, it happened a few days ago and …
Acosta: They’re hundreds of miles away, though. They’re hundreds and hundreds of miles away.
Trump: You know what?
Acosta: That’s not an invasion.
Trump: I think you should — honestly — I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN. And if you did it well, your ratings would be much better.
Acosta: But let me ask … if I may ask one other question …
Trump: OK, that’s enough.
Acosta: Mr. President, if I may …
Trump: Peter, go ahead.
Acosta: If I may ask one other question. Are you worried …
Trump: That’s enough. That’s enough.
Acosta: But, Mr. President, I — well …
Trump: That’s enough.
Acosta: I was going to ask one other …
Trump: That’s enough.
Acosta: The other folks have had …
Trump: That’s enough.
Acosta: Pardon me, ma’am. I’m — I’m — Mr. President …
Trump: Excuse me, that’s enough.
Acosta: Mr. President, I had one other question, if I may ask, on — on the Russia investigation. Are you concerned that — that you may have indictments …
Trump: I’m not concerned about anything with the Russia investigation because it’s a hoax.
Acosta: Are you …
Trump: That’s enough. Put down the mic.
Acosta: Mr. President, are you worried about indictments coming down in this investigation?
Trump: I tell you what. CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN. Go ahead.
Acosta: I — I think that’s unfair …
Trump: You’re a very rude person. The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible, and the way you treat other people are horrible. You shouldn’t treat people that way.
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