Trump abruptly exits press conference to take 'emergency' phone call

‘I have a big call. A really big call,’ president says

Donald Trump abruptly exited his White House press conference on Wednesday claiming he had an “emergency” phone call to attend to.

“I have to leave for an emergency phone call. … I’ll be back. I will see you tomorrow,” he said after briefly answering a question about the administration’s work on a coronavirus vaccine and yielding the podium to White House coronavirus adviser Scott Atlas.

“I have a big call. A really big call,” Mr Trump said.

As the president walked out of the press room, a reporter shouted a question about a Kentucky grand jury’s decision not to charge the police officers involved in the killing of Breonna Taylor earlier this year in Louisville.

“People protesting in the streets — what is your message to them?” the reporter asked. “People feel like we are on this carousel where another black life is being taken.”

White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany quickly approached the podium to introduce Dr Atlas and Director of the National Economic Council Larry Kudlow.

“I encourage you all to be respectful and show a little bit of decorum here,” Ms McEnany said.

Earlier in the press conference Mr Trump refused to commit to peacefully transferring power to Joe Biden if he loses the election in November, instead saying election officials must “get rid” of any illegal ballots.

“We’re going to have to see what happens. You know that I’ve been complaining very strongly about the ballots. And the ballots are a disaster,” Mr Trump said.

Earlier in the day, the president indicated he expects to challenge the validity of the election and take the case all the way up to the Supreme Court.

That makes it imperative for the Senate to confirm his Supreme Court nominee to replace the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg before the 2020 election, he argued.

“I think it's better if you go before the election, because I think this scam that the Democrats are pulling — it's a scam — the scam will be before the United States Supreme Court,” Mr Trump told reporters at the White House, referring to states’ programmes to ramp up mail-in voting amid the coronavirus pandemic.

Study upon study has shown virtually no large-scale voter fraud in the US in recent elections.