In a tale of two tapes, a bitter confrontation between a CNN/Playboy reporter and conservative Sebastian Gorka erupted in the Rose Garden on Thursday.
In the most widely shared clip, Salem Radio's Gorka is seen and heard unloading on reporter Brian Karem, saying "you're threatening me, right now, in the Rose Garden – you're not a journalist, you're a punk."
The exchange came after President Donald Trump's announcement of his executive order on counting U.S. citizens and non-citizens.
In a video that begins earlier, and shot from another angle, Karem is seen fueling the fire by taunting Rose Garden attendees in apparent anger over seating at the event, Mediaite reported.
In that clip, a voice can be heard off-camera saying to Karem, "Don't be sad, don't be sad," which prompted Karem to remark: "No, I'm just standing around – this is a group of people that are eager for demonic possession."
When Karem gets a laugh out of the line, off camera Gorka shouts, "And you're a journalist, right?"
Karem, then turning toward Gorka, waves him over, saying, "Come on over here and talk to me, brother. We can go outside and have a long conversation."
It is after that point, the more widely shared dustup is recorded, which had appeared to cast Gorka as the instigator.
During Thursday's social media summit, President Donald Trump complained of "terrible bias" and censorship, and a crowd of roughly 200 conservative personalities were invited to the announcement on counting citizens vs. non-citizens.
Social media companies have insisted political views do not play a role in the enforcement of their policies.
The president announced he will be convening a meeting of the companies at the White House next week over concerns they routinely censor right-wing perspectives.
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