US President Donald Trump was holding a press conference in the Rose Garden, calling for questions on the new trade deal with Canada and Mexico.
The deal is being called the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement, or USMCA, and will replace the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA), which has been criticised by Mr Trump as "perhaps the worst trade deal ever made".
Mr Trump pointed to ABC News reporter Cecilia Vega to take her question and delivered an aside of his own as she momentarily turned to pick up the microphone.
"She’s shocked that I picked her," Mr Trump said. "She’s, like, in a state of shock."
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Ms Vega quickly replied: "I’m not, thank you Mr. President."
Then followed a non sequitur.
"That’s OK. I know you’re not thinking. You never do," Mr Trump said.
"I’m sorry?" she responded, bewildered at the turn of conversation.
"No, go ahead. Go ahead," Trump said.
Ms Vega proceeded to ask a question on the FBI probe into Mr Trump's Supreme Court nominee, Brett Kavanaugh.
Mr Trump dismissed the question, saying he was taking questions on trade first and would return to her later.
Ms Vega later posted a message on Twitter, defending her position of asking non-trade questions at the press conference.
"A news conference means you get to ask whatever question you want to ask," she posted, adding the hashtag “#FirstAmendment.
The tweet attracted over two thousand replies, with many supporting Ms Vega's handling of the situation.
A number of supporters were to quick to label the behaviour misogynistic.
Others said they were going to make an apology in the absence of one from the President.
Mr Trump also had his supporters, who defended his right to refuse to answer the question on Brett Kavanaugh when prompted by Ms Vega.
