'That was weird': Trump's bizarre one-minute press conference
Donald Trump has given a bizarre one-minute press conference congratulating the US on the Dow Jones trading at record levels.
The US president appeared briefly in front of the White House press corps and continued to dodge questions, which he has been doing so for weeks since he failed to secure a second-term.
The official transition to President-elect Joe Biden only began this week after Trump finally greenlit the administration process to go ahead.
On Tuesday (local time) Trump, flanked by Vice President Mike Pence, held a much-anticipated press conference which lasted just over 60 seconds.
"I just want to congratulate everybody, the Dow Jones industrial average just hit 30,000 which is the highest in history. We've never broken 30,000 and that's despite everything that's taken place with the pandemic," he said.
Trump went on to claim: "I'm very thrilled about what has happened on the vaccine front – that's been absolutely incredible, nothing like that has happened medically, and I think people are acknowledging that and it's having a big effect.
"The stock market has just broken 30,000, never been broken that number. That's a sacred number.
"Nobody thought they would ever see it, that's the ninth time since the beginning of 2020. And it's the 48th time that we've broken records during the Trump administration."
The president then walked out despite journalists bombarding him with questions. Pence did not speak a word.
Reporters react to Trump’s brief speech
As Trump left the room, one reporter was heard saying: "Well that was weird as s***."
Another journalist says it was "one of the stranger" briefings.
CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta tweeted it was the "shortest briefing ever", adding: "That put the brief in briefing."
And now he is gone. Shortest briefing ever. https://t.co/V4IZsZStUY
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) November 24, 2020
Tuesday's press conference was one of the few public appearance Trump has made since the US election. He also made an outing to pardon Corn the turkey in the national Thanksgiving tradition.
One Twitter user called Trump's short speech "temper tantrum time".
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"You spoke for 30 seconds and took credit for Wall Street's enthusiasm for the coming Biden presidency. What the actual f(***)?" another person wrote.
"The markets are up because the transition from Trump to Biden is now 'official' – that Trump is taking credit for that is characteristically moronic!' a third person said.
Optimism over the imminent deployment of the Covid-19 vaccine saw the Dow Jones Industrial Average track above 30,000 for the first time ever on Tuesday (local time).
Investors were also pleased with President-elect Joe Biden's Secretary of Treasury pick, former Federal Reserve chair Janet Yellen.
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