Donald Trump reportedly “tossed” to one side two cell phones belonging to NBC News’ Vaughn Hillyard after getting frustrated by the journalist’s questions about the investigation into the Stormy Daniels hush-money case.
The former president told Hillyard not to “ask me any more questions” during a press gaggle on board his airplane returning from a campaign rally in Waco, Texas, on March 25, The Washington Post and Vanity Fair reported on Tuesday.
In the exchange that both media outlets obtained audio of, Trump reportedly slammed Manhattan district attorney Alvin Bragg’s probe into the payment to Daniels — for which the 2024 Republican presidential candidate was indicted a week later — as a “fake investigation.”
“I don’t want to talk to you,” Trump told Hillyard, who followed up his questions with Trump several times, per the audio.
“You’re not a nice guy,” Trump added.
When Hillyard asked Trump another question later in the gaggle, the former reality TV personality responded: “Let’s go, get him out of here. Outta here. Outta here.”
After ascertaining that two phones on the table belonged to Hillyard, the former president “tossed the phones to the side,” reported the Post, “onto the seat next to him,” said Vanity Fair.
Members of the media were told the gaggle was over and left Trump, who often attacks the press, at the table. Hillyard has not commented on the reported incident. Trump campaign spokesperson Steven Cheung told the Post that Trump “has had many mainstream reporters on the plane this election and no negative incidents” have occurred.