US President Donald Trump clashed with a CNN reporter during an Oval Office press gathering on Monday after she questioned his decision to reduce joint US-South Korean military exercises.
CNN correspondent Kristen Holmes asked Trump whether North Korean leader Kim Jong Un had specifically requested a reduction in the military drills. Trump, who has recently cited his positive relationship with Kim while defending the decision to scale back the exercises, responded sharply.
“Quiet! Quiet! Quiet!” Trump told the reporter before calling her “disrespectful” and asking which news organization she represented. After she identified herself as being from CNN, Trump accused the network of reporting “fake news” and described Holmes as a “loud, boisterous person.”
The exchange came after Trump said his relationship with Kim had helped make the Korean Peninsula safer. He has ordered a substantial reduction in the long-standing joint military exercises with South Korea, arguing that the drills are costly and unnecessarily hostile toward North Korea.
Trump’s decision has raised concerns in South Korea and among security experts, who warn that reducing joint exercises could affect military readiness and coordination between the two allies. South Korean officials have also expressed hope that the move could help revive dialogue with North Korea.
