Trump asks – President Donald Trump interrupted an Oval Office press conference on Wednesday to have a reporter read his anti-communism social media post back to him, asking, “Did you like that?” The exchange featured Trump praising his own message and then expanding on hi
President Donald Trump stopped an Oval Office press conference on Wednesday—midstream—to get a reporter to read his latest anti-communism post back to him.
The moment came after Trump called on Iris Tao, a reporter for NTD News, to speak. Tao brought up what she described as “stern words” from Trump on communism, and Trump leaned into the exchange with a question that turned the microphone moment into something closer to a performance.
“I just wrote that — did you like that?” Trump asked her.
Tao replied that it was “certainly meaningful to a lot of Americans.” Trump didn’t let the thread fade. “Well, you wanna read it? Do you have it?” he asked, and when Tao said she checked her phone for the post, Trump kept talking about the communism theme as she pulled it up.
“I’ve seen what’s going on with communism…” he continued.
Then Tao began reading aloud Trump’s Truth Social message. “Communists always do well with the Voters or, as they would say, THE PEOPLE, in the Early Years!” she read. Trump’s post warned that the “Country, State, or City” would ultimately “GOES TO HELL!”
Tao continued: “Great Violence proceeds at levels never seen before, and the entity dissolves into Poverty, Squalor, and Crime. Remember, breathtaking ‘Popularity’ first, and then, guaranteed DEATH AND DESTRUCTION!”
Trump picked up the thread immediately after. He said Americans were “seeing the misery of communism in cities like New York City,” pointing to New York Democratic socialist Zohran Mamdani—described by Trump as mayor—as well as Los Angeles.
“It’s so easy, you know. I’d be the greatest in the world,” Trump said, turning from his post to speculation about what would happen if he suddenly became a socialist.
“Nobody would be as good as me… I would sell them. ‘You’re gonna get free rent. you’re gonna get free houses. you’re gonna get free food. you’re gonna get free everything. ‘” Trump continued. He then predicted that the benefits would not last. adding that “eventually that ends” and leads to “death. destruction. and squalor — 100% of the time.”.
The exchange also widened into Trump’s personal reading of Mamdani’s political posture. Trump said he referred to Mamdani’s trips to the White House, calling the mayor a “very nice person” and a “smart guy.” Still, Trump said he had “no idea why he was so anti-business,” saying it “made no sense.”
For Tao, the moment landed with an additional personal context: she was born in China and has said she grew up “absorbing a lot of communist propaganda,” an account that hung in the air as she read Trump’s argument back to him.
The stop-start Oval Office interaction underscored how Trump framed his anti-communism message—not as a line to deliver and move on, but as something to be validated in real time, with the president asking the reporter directly whether she liked what he’d written.
Donald Trump Oval Office Iris Tao NTD News Truth Social anti-communism Zohran Mamdani New York City mayor Los Angeles press conference
Did you like that?? Kinda cringe tbh.
I swear he just loves hearing himself. Also why is this about communism like every other day? I got lost halfway through the article.
So he stopped the press conference to get a reporter to read his post… that’s like the opposite of presidential, right? And I guess he’s saying New York is doomed because of some “mayor”?? I thought Zohran Mamdani is a senator or something? Either way, sounds like he’s just trying to control the narrative and I’m not buying it.
This is why I don’t watch those live things. He always turns it into a show. He’s talking about cities like NYC and LA, but communism?? Wasn’t that already debunked in schools or whatever. Like if it goes to hell then why are they still functioning, you know? Also the reporter checking her phone while he keeps going… sounds rude honestly.