WASHINGTON ‒ President Donald Trump called for ABC to have its broadcast license revoked as he snapped at one of the network's reporters who asked why he doesn't order the release of the Jeffrey Epstein files instead of waiting for Congress to act.

"You know, it's not the question that I mind. It's your attitude. I think you are a terrible reporter," Trump said on Nov. 18. "It’s the way you ask these questions."

The president continued to lash out at the reporter, ABC News' Mary Bruce, and never got around to directly answering the question.

"I have nothing to do with Jeffrey Epstein," Trump said. "I threw him out of my club many years ago because I thought he was a sick pervert."

"It’s a Democrat hoax," Trump said, later adding: "I think the license should be taken away from ABC because your news is so fake and so wrong. And we have a great commissioner, a chairman, who should take a look at that."

ABC did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

In an complete reversal, Trump on Nov. 16 called for House Republicans to vote to release the files connected to the federal investigation of Epstein, the late disgraced financier and accused sex trafficker who died by suicide in 2019 while awaiting trial.

After passing the House in an overwhelming bipartisan vote, the bill now heads to the Senate. Trump has said he would he sign it into law if it reaches his desk.

However, rather than waiting for congressional action, Trump could simply order the release of the documents, similar to the way he ordered the DOJ last week to investigate Democrats tied to Epstein, including former President Bill Clinton.

Trump in September suggested overwhelming negative coverage of him by television networks should be grounds for the Federal Communications Commission to revoke broadcast licenses.

Trump floated the idea as he defended FCC chairman Brendan Carr for pressuring ABC to pull comedian Jimmy Kimmel's late-night show off the airwaves over comments Kimmel made regarding the fatal shooting of conservative activist Charlie Kirk. Kimmel was later reinstated and is back on air.

Reach Joey Garrison on @joeygarrison.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Trump calls to revoke ABC's license after reporter asks about releasing Epstein files

Reporting by Joey Garrison, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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