President Donald Trump on Wednesday lashed out against a CNN reporter during a televised press conference, saying the journalist was a "rude, terrible person."
"You're a very rude person. The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible," the president said to Jim Acosta, the network's chief White House correspondent.
The president was reacting to questions about statements he's made regarding the migrant caravan from Central America as well as the Russia investigation led by special counsel Robert Mueller.
"I'm not concerned about anything with the Russia investigation because it's a hoax," the president said. "That's enough, put down the mic."
The president asserted later in the briefing that he could have ended Mueller's investigation "any time I wanted."
"When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people," Trump said.
The president was speaking to reporters at the White House following a day of mixed results for the president's party in the midterm elections. Democrats flipped the House of Representatives while Republicans extended their majority in the Senate.
The president also targeted NBC News reporter Peter Alexander on Wednesday, telling him that "you are indeed unleashing crime."
After Alexander described Acosta as a "diligent reporter," Trump told him "I'm not a big fan of yours either."
NBC and CNBC are owned by NBCUniversal, a division of Comcast.
The president has faced criticism for his attacks on the press and has repeatedly referred to the media as an enemy. Critics have accused the president of promoting violence against journalists. That criticism escalated last month when CNN's New York headquarters was evacuated after an apparent pipe bomb was sent to the Manhattan building. Bombs were also sent to prominent Democrats who Trump has criticized.
The suspect in the case, Cesar Sayoc, posted pro-Trump messages on his social media pages. Trump has called Sayoc "insane" and said he is not responsible for the actions of his supporters.
Trump and his supporters accuse mainstream media outlets like CNN and NBC of treating conservatives unfairly.
Later in the briefing, Trump said he "would love to see unity, including with the media" but complained about coverage of his administration. "I could do something that's fantastic, and they'll make it look not good."
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