Donald Trump Hits Back at Reporter Over Wall: 'I Know You're Not Into the Construction Business, You Don't Understand Something'

During a press conference Friday afternoon about negotiations to end the government shutdown, President Donald Trump told a CNN reporter who pointed out one of his inconsistencies that she is "not into the construction business" and to "check it out" that steel is stronger than concrete.

Trump made the comment in response to a question by CNN White House correspondent Kaitlan Collins.

"You ran your campaign promising your supporters that Mexico was going to pay for the wall and that the wall was going to be made of concrete. You just said earlier that the wall could be made of steel," Collins said, "And right now our government is shut down over a demand from your administration that the American taxpayer pay for the wall."

"So how can you say you're not failing on that promise to your supporters?" Collins asked.

Trump sarcastically replied, "A very nice question, so beautifully asked, even though I just answered it." He then cut off Collins' follow-up questions and denied saying the wall would be made of concrete.

"I know you're not into the construction business," Trump told her. "You don't understand something. We now have a great steel business that's rebuilt in the United States. Steel is stronger than concrete. If I build this wall, or fence, or anything that Democrats need to call it... because I'm not into names, I'm into production, I'm into something that works."

Trump reiterated his point by saying, "If I build a steel wall rather than a concrete wall, it will actually be stronger than concrete," he said. "Steel is stronger than concrete, in case you...you can check it out."