Donald Trump was mocked on social media on Monday after his defensive demeanor with a female reporter changed in the blink of an eye when he discovered she worked for Ben Shapiro’s right-wing media outlet, The Daily Wire.
The president’s stark 180 came after the reporter put to Trump that French President Emmanuel Macron “is blaming the Iran war and you, essentially, for the rioting in France right now.”
“I don’t think he is. No, I think that’s fake news,” Trump curtly responded.
The president then reached for a familiar playbook, asking which outlet the reporter worked for. He often uses the question to tee up an attack on the journalist and their organization as “fake news” or liars.
“Who are you with?” Trump asked.
But when the reporter identified herself as The Daily Wire’s White House correspondent, Mary Margaret Olohan, Trump immediately changed his tune.
“Oh, Daily Wire is good,” he said.
Putting up a hand as if to shield his apology, Trump added: “Sorry, Daily Wire is good,” before walking away, then returning to call Macron “a friend of mine” and blame immigration for the unrest, despite officials putting it down to left-wing movements.
The White House later shared the clip on X, making light of the exchange with a crying-with-laughter emoji.
Critics weren’t as amused, however: