DUBUQUE, Iowa, Aug. 26 (UPI) — Donald Trump, the Republican presidential frontrunner in the 2016 election, is once again making headlines for feuding with journalists, this time with Univision’s Mexican-American news anchor Jorge Ramos.
An exchange at a press conference Iowa on Tuesday between Trump and Ramos lasted for about 30 seconds before Ramos was ejected from the room by security personnel.
“I have a question about immigration,” Ramos stood up and said. Trump looked in Ramos’ direction before he walked up to the lectern during the press conference as Ramos continued addressing Trump directly.
“Okay, who’s next? Yeah, please,” Trump said as he pointed to someone in the crowd.
“Mr. Trump I have a question,” Ramos continued.
“Excuse me, sit down. You weren’t called. Sit down,” Trump replied.
Ramos and Trump went back and forth briefly before Ramos said “I have the right to ask a question.”
“No you don’t. You haven’t been called,” Trump replied. “Go back to Univision.”
Ramos began discussing Trump’s proposed immigration plans, including Trump’s call to deport 11 million undocumented immigrants from the United States and to build a wall across the entire Mexican border.
A member of Trump’s security team neared Trump and Trump looked at him and said “Go ahead.”
The security member then approached Ramos and began forcefully escorting him out of the room.
“I didn’t escort him out, you’ll have to talk to security… Certainly he was not chosen — I chose you, I chose other people… you’re asking me questions,” Trump later said when discussing the incident with other journalists. “He just stands up and starts screaming so, you know, maybe he’s at fault also.”
“I don’t even know where he is. I don’t mind if he comes back, frankly,” Trump added.
Ramos was later allowed back into the press conference where he and Trump discussed immigration.
“Here’s the problem with your immigration plan. It’s full of empty promises,” Ramos said.
Trump then defended his proposed immigration plans as simple and possible, while reminding Ramos of the $500 million lawsuit Trump is pressing against Univision for backing away from broadcasting the 2015 Miss USA beauty pageant.
“He was totally out of line last night,” Trump told TODAY’s Matt Lauer on Wednesday. “I was asking and being asked a question from another reporter. I would have gotten to (Ramos) very quickly. He stood up and started ranting and raving like a madman.”
“The one who is out of line is Donald Trump,” Ramos said on CNN. “There were two reporters before me who asked their questions and then it was my turn, so I said ‘I have a question on immigration.’ I stood up, he didn’t say anything, and I kept on asking my question.
“Obviously, he didn’t like my question,” Ramos continued “when he realized what was going on, he tried to stop me and asked another reporter to ask a question.”
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