New York: It was President Donald Trump's first press conference since a bombshell report detailing contact between members of his team and Russian intelligence officials during the election campaign. It also followed the abrupt resignation of his national security adviser Michael Flynn over claims he lied about his own contact with Russia.
But when the President took to the podium in front of a packed room of journalists on Wednesday, alongside the visiting Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he was not pressed about his knowledge or involvement in either of the scandals engulfing his administration.
More World News Videos
- Video duration
- 01:59
Donald Trump addresses racism, sort of
Donald Trump addresses racism, sort of
US President responds to a question about anti-Semitism and xenophobia by reminding everyone how he won the election before adding he would "stop long-simmering racism and every other thing that's going on".
Up Next
Helicopter pilot asks truckie for directions
- Video duration
- 01:27
- Video duration
- 01:27
Helicopter pilot asks truckie for ...
Helicopter pilot asks truckie for directions
Lorry drivers are shocked as a helicopter lands on a Kazakhstan road, holding up traffic, because the pilot is lost.
Up Next
'Our house is on fire right now'
- Video duration
- 01:10
- Video duration
- 01:10
'Our house is on fire right now'
'Our house is on fire right now'
Henry Reese looks on in disbelief as his home is destroyed by huge wildfires in Christchurch, where more than 1,000 have been evacuated and a state of emergency has been declared.
Up Next
Over 400 firefighters battle massive blaze
- Video duration
- 02:26
- Video duration
- 02:26
Over 400 firefighters battle massive blaze
Over 400 firefighters battle massive blaze
11 homes have been destroyed and a firefighting pilot has been killed in a massive fire on the outskirts of Christchurch, New Zealand, as a state of emergency has been declared.
Up Next
Kiss-Cam captures fans of love
- Video duration
- 01:27
- Video duration
- 01:27
Kiss-Cam captures fans of love
Kiss-Cam captures fans of love
Trying to shed itâs negative image towards exclusion, the NRL teamed up with the Ad Council to release a spot for the ongoing 'Love Has No Labels' campaign, which seeks to stamp out issues such as homophobia and racism by promoting a culture of diversity and inclusion.
Up Next
CCTV clue in Kim Jong-nam case
- Video duration
- 01:30
- Video duration
- 01:30
CCTV clue in Kim Jong-nam case
CCTV clue in Kim Jong-nam case
A woman carrying Vietnamese travel documents has been arrested in Malaysia over the alleged assassination of Kim Jong-nam, half-brother of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un.
Up Next
Paris violence during protest against police rape
- Video duration
- 01:10
- Video duration
- 01:10
Paris violence during protest against ...
Paris violence during protest against police rape
Protesters demonstrating against an alleged police rape clashed with officers in Paris on Wednesday.
Donald Trump addresses racism, sort of
US President responds to a question about anti-Semitism and xenophobia by reminding everyone how he won the election before adding he would "stop long-simmering racism and every other thing that's going on".
Instead, he took only two questions from his choice of conservative media outlets.
It was a move that angered many journalists in the White House press corps, who have accused Mr Trump of avoiding scrutiny, and comes as his war with the mainstream media continues to escalate with the publication of more damaging stories that are derailing his first month in office.
Related Content
With the Flynn and Russia stories dominating the news, Mr Trump took questions from two US journalists on Wednesday - first calling on a reporter from the Christian Broadcasting Network (CBN), a conservative religious network founded by the American televangelist Pat Robertson, and then on a writer from Town Hall, a conservative blog.
Neither reporter pressed the President on the Russia story.
"There's no other way to describe it but the fix is in," CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta said after the press conference.
The CBN reporter touched on the resignation of Mr Flynn indirectly, asking in relation to the Iran deal: "I wonder if you're concerned at all as it relates to not just the national security adviser, Michael Flynn, who is recently no longer here, but also some of those events that have been going on with communication of Russia if that is gonna hamper this deal at all ... ?"
As Mr Trump slowly walked away from the podium at the end of the short press conference, Acosta called out a question about Russia, but Mr Trump kept walking. The President remained silent in a later photo opportunity with Mr Netanyahu when asked about the issue again.
That media strategy riled many journalists.
"There is open anger in here about the fact that the President did not take any real questions about the issue of the day and general Flynn," said Cecilia Vega, a US ABC News Washington correspondent in a live cross from the press room afterwards.
"There are serious questions this administration has yet to answer on this and we didn't get those today because the President ... continually now, has basically called on a number of conservative, very friendly outlets."
That anger was mocked though by some in the right-wing press. Town Hall, the blog called on in the press conference, published a story on Thursday afternoon accusing them of "whining" and having a "meltdown", while Breitbart - the website formerly run by Mr Trump's chief strategist Steve Bannon - tweeted the clip of Acosta claiming the "fix is in" and the word "jelly" - implying Acosta was simply jealous.
The revelations surrounding Mr Flynn's behaviour were revealed by The Washington Post – which also broke the news of a contentious phone call between Mr Trump and Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull two weeks earlier.
The latest report about contact between the Trump campaign and Russian intelligence officials was published by The New York Times, which is frequently the subject of the President's ire on Twitter.
By contrast, Mr Trump has repeatedly praised Fox News Channel, tweeting on Wednesday that its morning chat show was "great!".
The Trump administration has already begun shaking up media access, with the controversial right-wing blog Gateway Pundit given White House press credentials for the first time this week, and press secretary Sean Spicer taking Skype questions during daily briefings from local and conservative media outlets.
I tried
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) February 15, 2017
"Commander Spicer, it's a pleasure, thanks for your service to America!" radio talkback host Lars Larson said this month during one of the Skype live-crosses, in a break from the usual tone.
Mr Spicer said in January he wanted to make media access more "democratic" and open it up to those outside the "Washington elite media", according to The Guardian.
In his press conference with Justin Trudeau on Monday, Mr Trump only called on WJLA, a local Washington DC TV station, and the conservative website the Daily Caller for his two questions. Neither one asked about The Washington Post's revelations about Flynn, which proved to be the catalyst for Flynn's resignation later that evening.
During his first joint press conference with British Prime Minister Theresa May, Mr Trump called first on a reporter from the wire service Reuters and then on one from the Fox News Channel.
When Mrs May took a pointed question from a senior BBC reporter – who asked the President about his endorsement of torture and praise for Russia among other controversies – Mr Trump bristled, turned to Mrs May and quipped, "That was your choice of question? There goes that relationship".