White House reporter nails Sarah Sanders: ‘Lies come with consequences'

CNN White House correspondent Jim Acosta may not be the Trump administration’s favorite person, but he received deserved applause from the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” audience for holding the Trump administration’s feet to the fire.

During his appearance on the show Wednesday night, Acosta spoke unsparingly with host Jimmy Kimmel about his experiences covering the Trump White House, telling him “I welcome their hatred.”

Acosta walked Kimmel through some disturbing episodes, including being attacked by Trump as “fake news” during a press conference, being ejected from the Oval Office for asking a question, and listening to Sean Spicer’s litany of shouted lies on the first full day of the administration.

“Do you ever feel sorry for Sean Spicer, Sarah Sanders, for having to be in that spot defending things that they must know some of these things are either not true or nonsensical?” Kimmel asked.

“My sense of it is that, listen, they’ve signed up for this,” Acosta said. “If they’re going to lie to the American people, those lies come with consequences.”

“And it’s our job, and listen, they can play all the games they want and not call on me,” he said. “There’s going to be somebody else who’s going to come in. I have other colleagues who ask hard questions as well.”

Despite the unrelenting attacks from Trump and his team that began even before Trump was inaugurated, Acosta has refused to back down. When then-press secretary Sean Spicer did away with on-camera briefings for a time last year, Acosta suggested a boycott.

In December, Sarah Huckabee Sanders threatened to ban him from the press pool if he asked questions, and Acosta told her “Sorry Sarah.. we won’t be intimidated.”

When Trump ejected Acosta from the Oval Office in January for asking questions, Acosta called it a “badge of honor.”

And just last month, a Trump adviser demanded Acosta be suspended for asking Trump a question. Acosta responded by tweeting “Just doing my job, which is protected by the First Amendment of The Constitution. You might want to give it a read.”

Jim Acosta isn’t the only White House reporter who calls out the Trump administration, but along with AURN correspondent April Ryan, he is the most attacked for it. Both Ryan and Acosta have not only been targeted by Trump and his administration, they have also received death threats from Trump fans.

More reporters should follow the example set by Jim Acosta and April Ryan, and hold Trump’s gang of liars accountable.