A CNN analyst and a former White House aide got into a heated altercation in the White House Rose Garden Thursday immediately after President Trump’s announcement of an executive order dealing with a citizenship count.

CNN political analyst Brian Karem got into the confrontation with Salem radio’s Sebastian Gorka after Mr. Karem commented that the Rose Garden attendees, including conservative social media leaders, were “a group of people that are eager for demonic possession.”

Mr. Gorka, who worked in the West Wing for Mr. Trump, shouted at Mr. Karem, “and you’re a journalist, right?”

Mr. Karem then gestured to Mr. Gorka, according to witnesses, saying, “come on over here and talk to me, brother. We can go outside and have a long conversation.”

“You’re not a journalist! You’re a punk!” Mr. Gorka shouted, walking across the Rose Garden to approach Mr. Karem. Some reporters posted video clips of the scene.

According to Yahoo News, an unidentified female reporter then told Mr. Gorka, “You should not be attacking journalists like this!”

Security stepped in and guided Mr. Karem away, Yahoo reported. He later told the news outlet that the incident began when he “invited him [Gorka] to go and talk outside.”

“I didn’t think the Rose Garden was the appropriate setting. But he took it to mean, as he later explained, that I wanted to be physical,” Mr. Karem said. “My intention was never to provoke a physical confrontation in the Rose Garden.”

Mr. Karem, who also writes for Playboy, also said he went up to Mr. Gorka after their exchange and offered to shake hands, but Mr.. Gorka refused.

Mr. Gorka told Yahoo News he responded because Mr. Karem was “challenging me to a fight in the Rose Garden” and asked him to “come outside” and “settle this.” He called Mr. Karem a “punk of a guy.”

Sign up for Daily Newsletters Manage Newsletters

Copyright © 2020 The Washington Times, LLC. Click here for reprint permission.