Trump’s Reaction When Asked About Claims Russia Is Helping Iran

U.S. President Donald Trump sharply rebuked a journalist after being questioned about reports suggesting that Russia may be assisting Iran in targeting American forces.

The tense exchange took place Friday at the White House at the end of a College Sports Roundtable event, when Peter Doocy, senior White House correspondent for Fox News, raised the issue during a question-and-answer session.

Doocy referred to a report published earlier in the day by The Washington Post that alleged Moscow could be helping Tehran identify and target U.S. personnel in the region.

“President Trump, it looks like the Russians are helping Iran target and attack Americans now,” Doocy asked.

Trump quickly dismissed the question and criticized the journalist.

“That’s a minor problem compared to what we’re doing here,” Trump said. “But can I be honest? I have a lot of respect for you — you’ve always been very nice to me. What an idiotic question to ask at this moment. We’re talking about something else.”

After the exchange, the president moved on to the next question without addressing the issue further.

According to the report by The Washington Post, three individuals familiar with the ongoing conflict claimed that Russia may have offered technical assistance to Tehran in identifying and targeting American forces operating in the region.

However, Doocy was not the first reporter from Fox News to raise the topic at the White House that day.

Earlier, Fox News anchor John Roberts questioned White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt about the same claims.

Leavitt responded by downplaying the significance of the reports.

“Whether that happened or not, frankly, it doesn’t matter much,” she said. “President Trump and the United States military are absolutely destroying the treacherous Iranian terrorist regime.”