UNITED STATES—CNN White House reporter, Jim Acosta was reprimanded by President Donald Trump on Wednesday, November 7 during a press conference where Trump discussed the mid-term elections. Acosta was talking over Trump to ask questions about the migrant caravan and Russia. He was explaining to the President that the migrant caravan was not an invasion.

“Honestly, I think you should let me run the country,” said President Trump. The banter went on until Trump said, “That’s enough. Put down the mic.”  A White House aide then walked over to Acosta and tried to take the microphone, where he held firm to the mic and is alleged to have pushed the aides hand down. “CNN should be ashamed of itself for having you work for them. You are a terrible person,” said Trump to Acosta.

White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders issued the following statement:

“President Trump believes in free press and expects and welcomes tough questions of him and his Administration. We will, however, never tolerate a reporter placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern. This conduct is absolutely unacceptable. It is disrespectful to the reporters, colleagues not to allow them an opportunity to ask a question. President Trump has given the press more access than any President in History.”

Acosta demonstrated similar behavior in the past. Sean Spicer was quoted in January 2017 saying, “I informed him that his behavior was rude, disrespectful and inappropriate and if it happened again I would have him removed”

Spicer continued, “I’ll tell you this, if I watched President Obama treated like this, if I watched President Clinton treated like this I would react the same. The office of President of the United States deserves a level of respect. And having a reporter stand up and basically yell and scream and act as inappropriately and rude as he did is a disgrace. We’re better than that.”

“The President’s ongoing attacks on the media have gone too far. They are not only dangerous, they are disturbingly un-American.  While President Trump made it clear he does not respect a free press, he has sworn obligation to protect it. A free press is vital to democracy and we stand behind Jim Acosta and his fellow journalists everywhere,” tweeted CNN.

In an interview with Acosta following the press conference, he responded by saying, “When they go low, we keep doing our jobs.”

“I’ve been denied entrance to the WH.  Secret Service just informed me I cannot enter the WH grounds for my 8:00 pm hit,” said Acosta via Twitter.