President Trump used an ethnic term to refer to a reporter at Wednesday’s press conference — to the consternation of the U.S. press corps but the delight of the reporter in question.

“Yes, please, Mr. Kurd, go ahead,” he said at the United Nations in New York while calling on a journalist, who was later identified by New York Times media writer Michael M. Grynbaum as Rahim Rashidi.

While several U.S. journalists wrote deadpan tweets in incredulity, Mr. Rashidi saw things differently, according to Mr. Grynbaum.

“I just spoke with ‘Mr. Kurd.’ His name is Rahim Rashidi, he works for Kurdistan TV, and he is thrilled. ‘I love it!’ he said of Trump. ‘He made me happy by this sentence.’”

I just spoke with “Mr. Kurd.”



His name is Rahim Rashidi, he works for Kurdistan TV, and he is thrilled.



“I love it!” he said of Trump. “He made me happy by this sentence.” — Michael M. Grynbaum (@grynbaum) September 26, 2018

As part of his response, to a question about U.S. relations with the Kurds after their help in the military defeat of the Islamic State, Mr. Trump went on to say that he loved the Kurdish people and their warrior ethos.

“We’re trying to help them a lot,” he said. “Don’t forget that’s their territory. We have to help them. They fought with us. They died with us.”

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