Trump calls C-SPAN after surprise White House visit
The president made an unannounced eight-minute phone appearance on Monday, following a rare return to the briefing room with UFC CEO Dana White.
By Nadia Rahman ·
President Donald Trump joined a live television broadcast Monday without prior notice, a move that added to a week of sudden public engagements following the midterm elections. Host Mimi Geerges announced the call during the debut of Washington Journal Primetime, telling viewers it appeared to be from the White House. Trump spent eight minutes on the line, offering congratulations on the new show before addressing questions about immigration, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, and the Iran war. He explained that he monitors viewer calls to gauge public sentiment, stating, “I like to watch the call-ins because it gives me a little of an indication of where we are.”
The phone call came shortly after Trump entered the White House briefing room alongside UFC CEO Dana White. Reporters were summoned with such urgency that aides did not have time to attach the presidential seal to the podium, according to Reuters. This marked the president’s first appearance in that room in 198 days, per a White House pool report. With the press secretary position currently vacant, Trump joked about offering the role to White. The UFC chief declined the offer.
Trump characterized the day as a “very bad press day” while discussing the empty leadership role. Earlier this week, he also made an unannounced appearance at the White House ballroom construction site. That visit took place on Wednesday, the day after Republicans suffered substantial losses in the Nov. 3 elections. It was his first public event since the vote. Trump spent more than 20 minutes detailing renovation projects, including the ballroom’s Corinthian columns, marble flooring, and helipad.
During that Wednesday event, reporters asked if he regretted the campaign’s outcome. Trump distanced himself from the Republican defeat, saying, “If I were on the ballot, we would have won.” Democrats secured control of both the House and Senate in the Nov. 3 elections. This result creates a divided government when the new Congress convenes in January. The political shift represents a major setback for the administration’s legislative agenda in the coming months.
Trump has a history of favoring direct media contact. During his first term, he made live calls to Fox News programs such as Fox & Friends. CBS News previously reported that he personally arranged one such television appearance. The Associated Press has documented his habit of contacting journalists directly by cellphone to pitch stories and react to live coverage. These recent actions fit that established pattern of bypassing traditional staff communications.
The C-SPAN appearance and the briefing room visit occurred on the same day. Geerges noted the surprise nature of the call on air. Trump’s schedule this week has included both the construction site tour and the media interactions. The next scheduled public event will be determined by the White House as it adjusts to the new congressional balance of power.
