President Donald Trump is under fire for his reaction to a Japanese reporter’s question.

The reporter, who had an accent, began asking Trump a question regarding the economy at a press conference at the White House on Wednesday following the midterm elections.

The president interjected, asking, “Where are you from, please?”

When the reporter responded with “Japan,” Trump told him to “say hello to Shinzo,” referencing the country’s prime minister, Shinzo Abe.

Trump tells a Japanese reporter "say hello to Shinzo," then continues the snarks with: "I'm sure he's happy about tariffs on his cars." He then tells the reporter, who has an accent, "I can't understand you."



I had to close my eyes for 10 seconds with a deep sigh on this one. pic.twitter.com/6rYdcPy0Gh — Amee Vanderpool (@girlsreallyrule) November 7, 2018

“I’m sure he’s happy about tariffs on his cars,” Trump said.

When the reporter attempted to finish his question about trade, the president responded, saying, “I really don’t understand you.”

Trump eventually answered, claiming Japan has treated the U.S. “very unfairly” when it comes to the auto trade.

The president’s handling of the question prompted criticism from many who viewed Trump’s reactions to the reporter as racist or condescending.

He really is tactless. Trump isn't fit to be president, just based on these conferences alone. The way he just handled this Japanese reporter as abhorrent.



This is my take as if this were in a vacuum in itself. — Ali (@phosphor112) November 7, 2018

My god Trump just out there being openly racist to a Japanese reporter. — Marcia Herold (@marciaherold) November 7, 2018

What’s more, Trump claimed to have not understood two other reporters of color at the same press conference. A female reporter with an accent had asked the president for his take of the Muslim women who had won seats in Congress, Rashida Tlaib of Michigan and Ilhan Omar of the Minnesota.

“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” Trump responded.

Another reporter added, “I’m from Brooklyn, so you can understand me.”

And when yet another journalist with an accent, from Lebanon, asked Trump a question about Turkey’s president Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Trump responded, “Who? I don’t understand him.”

For the third time during this press conference, President Trump said he couldn't understand a journalist speaking English with a foreign accent. This time it was a reporter from Lebanon. — Liam Stack (@liamstack) November 7, 2018

Many felt it was no coincidence Trump responded similarly to foreign reporters.

Is it my imagination or has Trump mocked the accent of every foreign reporter called upon at this brouhaha? He can't help himself. #WhereYouFrom #JamesArness pic.twitter.com/nOHPMSOmnv — David Hiltbrand (@DaveOnDemand_TV) November 7, 2018

Seriously. Our President interrupts and dismisses every reporter that has an accent that isn't American. I wish we had a President we could respect at least a little bit. #trump #pressconference — Duncan (@duncan_98point9) November 7, 2018

Trump is being so racist with every reporter who has an accent that asks him questions. "I don't understand you." He also just called a black woman racist towards him. This White House #PressConference is bazaar. — Vote 4 Democrats Nov. 6! (@InternAdam) November 7, 2018

As HuffPost reporter Marina Fang pointed out, Trump’s treatment of those with accents is painful. People with accents are often treated as though they are less intelligent than those with accentless English.

This pisses me off to no end, in particular bc my whole life, I've watched people demean, belittle, and dismiss my mother for speaking accented English. So many immigrants and children of immigrants have had this experience, and it sticks with you forever. — Marina Fang (@marinafang) November 7, 2018

One egregious example is Fox News darling Jesse Watters’ 2016 “Chinatown” segment, which made Asian accents and those who didn’t understand English the butt of the joke.

But, as Ronny Chieng of “The Daily Show,” who produced a segment in response to Watters’ bit, told HuffPost in August, “You don’t have to speak English to have sophisticated political opinions.”