President Donald Trump struck back at a black female reporter's question about his calling himself "nationalist" as "emboldening white nationalists," calling it a "racist question," "insulting," and "very terrible."
"You know what the word is," President Trump said, concluding a testy exchange at Wednesday's news conference. "I love our country. I do. You have nationalists. You have globalists. I also love the world, and I don't mind helping the world, but we have to straighten out our country first.
"We have a lot of problems – excuse me – but to say that what you said is so insulting to me. It's a very terrible thing that you said."
The news conference exchange started with a reporter from PBS News Hour asking:
"On the campaign trail you called yourself a nationalist," she asked. "Some called that as emboldening white nationalists."
"I don't know why you would say that," President Trump responded.
"Some say the Republican Party is seen as supporting white nationalists," she continued.
"I don't believe it," President Trump said.
"What do you make of it?" she asked.
President Trump pointed to his poll numbers among African Americans and then ripped the question as "racist."
"I don't know," he said. "Why do I have my highest poll numbers ever with African-Americans? . . . That's such a racist question. Honestly, I know you have it written down, that's a racist question."
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