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On the phone speaking to Ireland’s newly elected Taoiseach Leo Varadkar on serious issues such as migration and Brexit, United States President Donald Trump displayed decidedly odd behaviour. In the middle of the conversation, he peremptorily summoned one of the Irish journalists present in the Oval Office, using a crooked finger.

“And where are you from? Go ahead, come here. Where are you from? We have all of this beautiful Irish press. Where are you from?” he said (video above) in what is being widely discussed in the media and on online platforms as a “bizarre” gesture. He then remarked to Varadkar that she had a “beautiful smile on her face” and smirked, “I bet she treats you well”.

The journalist turned out to be the US Bureau Chief and Washington Correspondent for the Irish news outlet, RTÉ, Caitriona Perry. Perry appeared to take the inappropriate incident in her stride, stepping forward and introducing herself to Trump. Others in the room politely tittered as Perry made her way back.

She later posted the video on Twitter, which was then shared by thousands of people who slammed the President’s “gross” gesture.

Perry had, previously, talked about why American women voted for Donald Trump, despite widespread criticism, on Ireland’s The Late Late Show (below).

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