The president meets the press – in a most unusual way

A unique encounter between the president of the United States and the press took place outside the White House on Friday morning, June 15. It immediately made news for being both a historic first and for what was said. At 8:25 A.M. E.T., President Trump strolled out of the West Wing and over to the Fox News camera position a hundred or so yards away on the North Lawn, where Fox & Friends co-host Steve Doocy was doing live reports for his and his colleagues' morning show that was being produced back at Fox News HQ in New York. The Secret Service kept the mob of White House press back as Doocy attached a lapel microphone to the president and then, standing next to him in the morning sun, proceeded to question him uninterrupted for the next half-hour. The rest of the press, one-upped by Fox, was struggling to listen as its members were corralled in a pack several yards away.

At 9 A.M. Doocy had to sign off when Fox & Friends ended, but the fun wasn't quite over. President Trump sidled over to the press gaggle and proceeded to submit to a wide variety of questions shouted at him for the next twenty minutes. That encounter was broadcast live by CNN, Fox News, and MSNBC. According to the instant analysis, nothing like it had ever been seen before in the history of the White House. President Trump was in classic form as he parried challenging questions from the same folks who have been giving his press secretary, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, an especially hard time this week during the daily press briefings. Reporting about the impromptu press conference immediately rose to the top of the daily news cycle. With approximately 95% of the mainstream media opposed to the president and his policies, the following headlines were typical: 7 absolutely bonkers moments from Donald Trump's impromptu White House lawn press conference – Salon There's an Elderly Man on the White House Lawn and He May Not Be Well – Esquire Donald Trump's Friday morning proves the massive danger of sitting down with Robert Mueller – CNN I happened to be watching the whole thing as it was broadcast live and – being of sound and objective mind – I didn't see what all the fuss was about. PRESIDENT TRUMP ON FOX & FRIENDS June 15, 2018 8:30-9 A.M. E.T. Transcript: Washington Post Link to video of the entire Fox & Friends interview

President Trump and Steve Doocy during the Fox & Friends interview REMARKS BY PRESIDENT TRUMP IN PRESS GAGGLE, WHITE HOUSE NORTH LAWN & DRIVEWAY

Transcript available via The White House; video of the President's Q&A with the White House press.

President Trump takes questions during the press gaggle.