Trump to CNN's Acosta: 'You Are a Rude, Terrible Person' After GOP Expands Senate Majority (November 7, 2018)

President Donald Trump walked into the East Room the day after the 2018 midterms ready to claim victory, and walked out after one of the most memorable clashes with the press of his first term. “CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them,” he told CNN’s Jim Acosta. “You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN.”

The video above shows the Nov. 7, 2018, White House news conference, which began at 11:57 a.m. Quotes are from the official transcript published by the American Presidency Project [1].

”Defied History”

Trump opened by arguing that Republicans had beaten the odds in the Senate. “This election marks the largest Senate gains for a President’s party in a first midterm election since at least President Kennedy’s in 1962,” he said. “There have been only four midterm elections since 1934 in which a President’s party has gained even a single Senate seat” [1].

He credited his campaign schedule. “We held a large number of campaign rallies,” he said, “including 30 rallies in the last 60 days,” and “of the 11 candidates we campaigned with during the last week, 9 won last night. This vigorous campaigning stopped the blue wave that they talked about” [1].

He blamed the House losses partly on retirements, “the most House Republican retirements in 88 years; 43 House Republicans retired,” and compared the night with President Barack Obama’s first midterm: “In 2010, President Obama’s first midterm, he lost 63 seats. By contrast, as of the most current count, it looks like around 27 House seats or something” [1].

He also needled Republicans who kept their distance from him and lost. “Mia Love gave me no love—and she lost. Too bad. Sorry about that, Mia,” he said, to laughter [1].

”You Are a Rude, Terrible Person”

The Acosta clash started over immigration. “As you know, Mr. President, the caravan was not an invasion. It’s a group of migrants moving up from Central America towards the border with the U.S.,” Acosta said. “Thank you for telling me that. I appreciate it,” Trump answered, to laughter. Later he repeated: “I consider it an invasion. You and I have a difference of opinion” [1].

When Acosta kept going, Trump cut him off. “I think you should let me run the country, you run CNN, and if you did it well, your ratings would be much better,” he said [1].

Acosta tried to ask about the Russia investigation as a White House aide attempted to take the microphone from him, according to the transcript’s description. “I’m not concerned about anything with the Russia investigation, because it’s a hoax,” Trump said. “That’s enough. Put down the mike” [1].

Then came the line in the video. “I’ll tell you what: CNN should be ashamed of itself having you working for them. You are a rude, terrible person. You shouldn’t be working for CNN,” Trump said. “The way you treat Sarah Huckabee is horrible. And the way you treat other people are horrible” [1].

NBC News’ Peter Alexander stood up for his colleague: “In Jim’s defense, I’ve traveled with him and watched him. He’s a diligent reporter who busts his butt like the rest of us.” Trump shot back: “Well, I’m not a big fan of yours either” [1].

When Acosta stood again to ask about Trump calling the press “the enemy of the people,” Trump answered: “When you report fake news, which CNN does a lot, you are the enemy of the people” [1].

”That’s Such a Racist Question”

PBS NewsHour’s Yamiche Alcindor asked whether calling himself a “nationalist” emboldened White nationalists. “I don’t know why you’d say that. That’s such a racist question,” Trump said. “Why do I have among the highest poll numbers with African Americans?” [1]

“You call—you have nationalists. You have globalists,” he went on. “I also love the world, and I don’t mind helping the world, but we have to straighten out our country first” [1].

Pelosi Praise and a Warning

Trump had kind words for the Democratic leader poised to become speaker. “I give her a lot of credit,” he said of House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi. “I really respected what Nancy said last night about bipartisanship and getting together and uniting” [1].

But he warned Democrats against using their new majority to investigate him. Asked whether, if they started investigating him, he would “play that game and investigate them,” he said: “Oh, yes. Better than them.” Could he still work with them? “No. If they do that, then it’s just—all it is, is a warlike posture” [1].

The Fight Over Acosta’s Pass

The White House then suspended Acosta’s White House “hard pass,” his press credential, and CNN sued [2][5]. Two days after the news conference, Trump called Acosta “a very unprofessional man” who “gets paid to burst in” [3].

On Nov. 16, 2018, the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia ordered Acosta’s pass reinstated [4]. Trump answered that day that the White House was “writing up rules and regulations.” “You can’t take three questions and four questions and just stand up and not sit down—decorum,” he said. “We want total freedom of the press” [4].

Two days later, Fox News’ Chris Wallace put it to him directly: “A federal judge who you appointed has just ruled that you must give CNN reporter Jim Acosta his press pass back.” Trump said the court had told the White House “that we have to create rules and regulations for conduct,” adding, “We’re doing that” [5].

By the Numbers

Trump’s numbers that day, beside the official tallies:

Senate: Trump said Republicans picked up “it looks like, three. Could be four.” Republicans held 51 seats at the end of the 115th Congress and 53 at the start of the 116th [1][6].
House: Trump said the GOP lost “around 27 House seats or something.” Republicans held 241 seats in the 115th Congress and 199 in the 116th, according to the House historian [1][7].
2010: Trump said Obama “lost 63 seats.” The House historian’s table shows Democrats going from 257 seats in the 111th Congress to 193 in the 112th [1][7].
Rallies: 30 in the final 60 days, by Trump’s count [1].

What Happened Next

The attorney general was out. Later that day, Trump announced that Matthew Whitaker, Attorney General Jeff Sessions’ chief of staff, would become acting attorney general. “We thank Attorney General Jeff Sessions for his service and wish him well!” he wrote [8].

The “warlike posture” arrived. House Democrats took the majority in January 2019, 235-199 [7]. On Dec. 18, 2019, the House voted 230-197 to adopt the first article of impeachment against Trump [9].

Trump came back. Trump returned to the White House in 2025, as HYGO News covered in its page on his 2025 address to Congress, and the Senate’s 119th Congress opened with 53 Republicans, the same number Republicans won in 2018 [6].