President Donald Trump defined nationalism for CNN reporter Jim Acosta in the White House Tuesday, saying that he’s “so proud of our country.”
“Mr. President, just to follow up on your comments about being a nationalist–there is a concern that you are sending coded language or a dog whistle to some Americans out there that what you really mean is that you’re a white nationalist?” Jim Acosta asked in the Oval Office.
“I’ve never even heard that, I can’t imagine that,” Trump said. “I’ve never heard that theory about being a nationalist.”
Trump also said, “I am very proud of our country. We cannot continue to allow what’s happened to our country to continue happening. We can’t let it happen. So I’m proud. I’m proud of our country, and I am a nationalist. It’s a word that hasn’t been used too much. Some people use it, but I’m very proud. I think it should be brought back.”
“All I want our country is to be treated well, to be treated with respect. For many years, other countries that are allies of ours–so-called allies–they have not treated our country fairly. So in that sense, I am absolutely a nationalist, and I’m proud of it,” the president also told Acosta.
This question comes after Trump enthusiastically called himself a “nationalist” at a rally in Texas Monday.
“A globalist is a person that wants the globe to do well, frankly, not caring about our country so much,” the president said.
“You know what I am? I’m a nationalist. Okay? A nationalist. Use that word.”
Acosta, as usual, took to his Twitter to recap what just happened for his followers.
“I also asked Trump about the ‘nationalist’ label he has given himself. He brushed off the notion that this means he is a ‘white nationalist,'” he said in part.