Trump squares off with 'ABC Fake News' over Minnesota shooting question
President Donald Trump called out ABC News after a reporter asked a question about Alex Pretti being shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis. Trump dismissed the reporter’s question, calling the network "ABC Fake News."
The comments came during the president’s visit to a restaurant in Urbandale, Iowa. ABC News senior political correspondent Rachel Scott asked about the shooting of Pretti, who authorities say was armed and shot by Border Patrol agents Saturday.
"You talked a lot about Minnesota, Mr. President. Some of your own administration officials have labeled Alex Pretti," Scott said before Trump cut her off.
"By the way, this is ABC Fake News, this one," Trump said Tuesday.
"She hasn’t asked me a good question in years. I think a nice woman, but I don’t really like her too much," Trump said, drawing cheers from the crowd.
"I’d say ABC is about as bad as they get."
Scott’s question came after members of the Trump administration initially labeled Pretti a "domestic terrorist," including White House deputy chief of staff Stephen Miller and Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem.
Bodycam footage of the incident showed federal agents grabbing Pretti’s pistol from his waistband before he was shot. The victim’s family and lawmakers have been critical of the "domestic terrorist" label. State officials have said Pretti was a lawful gun owner with a permit to carry.
Following the exchange with Scott, Trump circled back to the Minneapolis conversation, calling it a "very unfortunate incident."
"I don't like that he had a gun. I don't like that he had two fully loaded magazines. That's a lot of bad stuff," Trump added.
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Trump’s clash with ABC comes months after a separate confrontation with the network, when he suggested the Federal Communications Commission should revoke ABC’s broadcast license after contentious questioning in the Oval Office.
"I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake. And it’s so wrong. And we have a great commissioner, a chairman who should look at that," Trump said, accusing the outlet of bias against him in November.