Donald Trump yells at reporter to ask Finland president a question and then hijacks it when it is asked in bizarre press meet
President Donald Trump has a unique knack of making headlines in the company of foreign counterparts. For the last two months or more, the Republican leader has found himself at the receiving end over his controversial phone talks with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky in July.
He is currently facing an impeachment inquiry for allegedly seeking foreign help to defeat a domestic rival ahead of the 2020 presidential elections.
Trump is terribly upset with the developments as he thinks he is being victimized. And now, his frustration overflowed during a joint press conference with yet another foreign leader.
On Wednesday, October 2, Trump arrived for a presser with his Finnish counterpart Sauli Niinistö at the White House and it soon turned out to be an eyesore for the purists, thanks to the American president's rant.
In between, the visiting head of state also came up with words and actions that many perceived as a sign of ridiculing his host incumbent.
Did the Finland president mock Trump's democracy?
The press conference saw Niinistö uttering in his opening remark: "Mr. President, you have here a great democracy. Keep it going on." While there was nothing extraordinary in that remark, many thought it was sarcasm thrown in Trump's direction.
The American president perhaps took it seriously. He soon launched his common tirade against domestic opponents and even the country's media in the presence of his foreign guest.
In a lengthy rant in response to the very first question that a journalist from Fox News posed, Trump accused House Intelligence Committee Chair Adam Schiff of "criminal act" and "treason". Schiff has taken a major initiative against Trump over his call with the Ukrainian president.
The Republican's performance turned more bizarre when a journalist from Reuters, Jeff Mason, tried to follow up and make the maverick president respond to a question he avoided. Mason's question was, "What do you, or what did you want President Zelensky to do with regard to Joe and Hunter Biden?".
Trump yells at journalist, tells him to ask Finland president a question!
Trump counter-asked: “Are you talking to me?” but never cared to give the actual answer. Instead, he directed the reporter to ask the Finnish president a question.
"We have the president of Finland. Ask him a question. Did you hear me?" he asked. However, the reporter continued to press Trump to answer him and this left Niinistö chuckling.
But as Mason eventually gave in and moved to Niinistö with a question, Trump jumped into the fray to hijack it. Soon, he started drumming about himself saying: "You never had wins with other presidents, did you? ... Your wins are now."
Trump was trying to drive home the point that it is him who has seen the US turn the tables around in trade issues after his country was being allegedly fleeced by others.
Niinistö struggled to respond to the question that was intended for him before telling Trump: "But I think the question is for me."
Did Trump ask for a favor from the Finnish president too?
Trump had more moments of getting ridiculed in the press conference where he also attacked the media, calling them "corrupt".
A Finnish journalist, the only one to have asked a question on the occasion, asked her president: "What kind of favors has Mr. Trump asked for you?", leaving those present in the room amused.
The word "favor" has gained infamous popularity in America's diplomatic and political circles ever since Trump sought it from President Zelensky in his July call.
Trump though seemed to have been touched little by it and continued to ramble about praises that he received from conservative political commentators like Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.
According to a report in Vox, "More laughter could be heard moments after Trump walked out of the room."