During a tense Oval Office meeting with South African President Cyril Ramaphosa, President Donald Trump confronted NBC News reporter Peter Alexander over a question regarding a $400 million jet gifted by Qatar to the U.S. Air Force. The exchange highlighted Trump’s ongoing criticism of mainstream media and his focus on international issues he deems significant.
“The Pentagon announced that it would be accepting a Qatari jet to be used as Air Force One,” Alexander asked the President during the May 21 meeting.
“What are you talking about? You know, you ought to get out of here,” Trump responded. “What does this have to do with the Qatari jet?” he added referring to the meeting at hand.
The President continued, labeling Alexander a “terrible reporter” and stating, “You’re a disgrace.” He further criticized NBC, calling it “fake news,” and accused the network of ignoring pressing global concerns, such as alleged attacks on white farmers in South Africa. Trump emphasized the importance of addressing these issues over what he considered trivial matters.
The confrontation occurred shortly after Trump presented Ramaphosa with a video depicting violence against white South African farmers. Ramaphosa responded by defending his country’s policies and denying any claims of genocide. He attempted to lighten the mood by joking about not bringing a plane as a gift, to which Trump responded favorably.
President Trump’s decision to accept the gift from the Qataris has spurred significant controversy since the announcement. The oil-rich Gulf state at its ruling regime have been under intense scrutiny over the billions of dollars it has poured into US universities to promote anti-Israel and anti-Western values on campuses across the nation. Qatar is has also been a key financial backer of the Hamas terror group in Gaza and hosts its leaders in lavish style while pushing anti-Israel propaganda through its state-run media network al-jaeera
