‘What are you asking about Iran for?’: Trump asks an Italian reporter where he is from, then refuses to answer his question
In Trump's logic, only Iranians can ask about Iran.
During a press interaction on Jan. 9, Donald Trump was asked a straightforward question about Iran by an Italian reporter. But he did not give an answer, only a familiar performance of fixation and deflection.
During the Friday conference with oil and gas executives at the White House, Trump was choosing reporters to answer. After taking a few questions, he singled out one reporter out visually to go next. “With your glasses, sir,” he said, interrupting the flow of questions. “The glasses… yes, the gentleman with the glasses.” He then commented again, unprompted, “With those very big glasses, actually.”
The reporter acknowledged Trump’s comments lightly, saying, “Ferrari, actually.” He then politely asked the president two questions. First, what does he want the European Union to do in Ukraine. Second, he asked him to reiterate his message to Iranian leaders in wake of the protests. The latter being a topic Trump had already been addressing earlier in the same press conference.
But Trump stopped the exchange mid-sentence. “You’re talking about Iran?” he asked, as if surprised. When the reporter confirmed, Trump responded with confusion. “What do I want Iran to do?” At this point, the reporter was confused too. So, Trump pivoted, asking the reporter, “Where are you from?”
The reporter calmly answered Italy, and Trump replied, “Oh, nice place.” But the reporter had a job to do. As he attempted to return to his questions, Trump cut him off again. “So what are you asking about Iran for?” Well, for starters, he’s a journalist and news reporting isn’t limited to native countries. But there’s no point arguing with the grumpy grandpa, so the reporter settled with only the European Union question.
Trump was talking about Iran himself right before the reporter asking him the question
Trump’s refusal to answer the reporter’s question about Iran was unnecessary. By this point in the press interaction, Trump had already spoken at length about Iran. He repeatedly warned Iranian leaders that if protesters were killed, he would “hit them very hard where it hurts.” He also compared unrest in Iran to events in Venezuela and expressed personal concern for protesters’ safety.
So, Iran was not a surprise topic. It was one Trump himself had introduced. Yet when a foreign reporter attempted to follow up, Trump labeled the question as illegitimate. Not because it was unclear, but because of who was asking it. The issue stopped being Iran or Ukraine and suddenly became the reporter’s nationality.
This moment fits cleanly into Trump’s usual approach to press interactions, particularly with foreign media. The “Where are you from?” is only a new addition in Trump’s long playbook of deflection. When he is comfortable with the framing, he answers expansively. When he is not, he redirects to personal details, mockery, or sometimes, to outright dismissal.
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