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Weijia Jiang (left) and Donald Trump (proper).
Weijia Jiang, a White Home correspondent for CBS Information, was advised by President Donald Trump to “Ask China,” after questioning him throughout his Might 11 briefing.
The 36-year-old Jiang has been working in broadcast TV since she was a young person and is a graduate of Virginia’s Faculty of William & Mary and Syracuse College.
She was promoted to White Home correspondent and an anchor on community CBS reveals in July 2018. Since then, she has had controversial encounters with Trump, each of which have earned backlash on social media and from different reporters.
Right here’s what it's essential to know:
1. She Began Journalism on the Age of 13
Comply with our workforce on Twitter! @emilyreppert @ariellehixson @AziaCelestino @keithekocinski @thomasrhanson @DemetriusPipkin @casshudson pic.twitter.com/G87EGch4Gg
— Channel One Information (@ChannelOneNews) January 10, 2018
Weijia (pronounced “wee-juh”) Jiang, the daughter of Liya Wei and Huade Jiang, was born in Xiamen, China however grew up in West Virginia, in response to Hollywood Life. The New York Instances reported that her dad and mom, who're retired, owned and operated Chinatown Restaurant in Buckhannon, West Virginia.
On the age of 13, she was a scholar reporter and anchor for Channel One Information in Los Angeles, just like Channel One alums Anderson Cooper and Lisa Ling. She obtained a bachelor’s diploma in philosophy and a minor in chemistry from the Faculty of William & Mary in 2005 and earned her grasp’s in broadcast journalism from Syracuse College in 2006.
Jiang labored at native CBS associates together with ones in Baltimore, Pennsylvania and New York till she joined the nationwide community. She has been featured on the CBS Night Information and CBS This Morning earlier than she turned the White Home and Capitol Hill reporter for CBS information.
“Over the previous a number of months, Weijia Jiang has persistently proven that she has what it takes to cowl this White Home–she asks the correct questions, she gives context and depth, and he or she is quick on her toes,” Christopher Isham, CBS Information vp and Washington bureau chief, advised Deadline.
2. Trump Advised Her to “Ask China” in Response to A Query
Throughout a press convention, Jiang requested Trump why he mentioned the U.S. is doing higher testing than “every other nation,” and requested why he has made the problem a contest when “People are shedding their lives.”
Trump responded by saying, “Possibly that’s a query you must ask China. Ask China that query, okay? Once you ask them that query, you could get a really uncommon reply.”
When she requested why he had particularly requested her that query, he mentioned he would make the identical suggestion to anybody who requested a “nasty query” and abruptly left the stage quickly after the encounter.
On AC360°, political commentator and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang mentioned Trump was drawing from a Republican memo despatched in late April, which Politico reported as saying, “Don’t defend Trump … assault China.”
“When Trump bought a query about this administration of the virus, he went straight to that playbook,” Yang mentioned. The truth that he mentioned it to a Chinese language-American reporter simply serves to additional that distraction, Yang added.
3. This Isn’t Her First Controversial Second with Trump
On Apr. 19, Jiang requested Trump if his response to the coronavirus had been delayed:
“Many People are saying the very same factor about you, that you must have warned them the virus was spreading like wildfire via the month of February as an alternative of holding rallies with 1000's of individuals. Why did you wait so lengthy to warn them and why didn't have social distancing till March 16?”
Trump responded by asking “Who're you with?” a number of instances earlier than responding that he had reduce off China. When Jiang clarified that he had barred Chinese language nationals however not People, Trump responded by saying, “Good and simple, good and simple, simply loosen up.”
Moments later, when Jiang requested him to acknowledge that didn’t assume it might unfold, he advised her “Preserve your voice down, please.”
His phrases drew criticism from fellow journalists and people on social media alike:
In honor of Weijia Jiang and the sexist phrases “simply loosen up,” I’d like to hitch each righteous girl on earth at this second in rhetorically slapping absolutely the dwelling shit out of Donald Trump.
1—2—3… 👋🏽
— Jason Overstreet (@JasonOverstreet) April 20, 2020
4. She Has Alleged Somebody from the White Home Known as Coronavirus “Kung-Flu”
This morning a White Home official referred to #Coronavirus because the “Kung-Flu” to my face. Makes me surprise what they’re calling it behind my again.
— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) March 17, 2020
In March of 2017, Jiang alleged {that a} White Home staffer referred to the virus as “Kung flu,” prompting a backlash from the Asian American Journalists Affiliation.
There was a torrent of hurtful and racist remarks and actions focused at People of Asian descent amid the coronavirus outbreak. AAJA denounces racism and xenophobia, and stands by our neighborhood and our members, together with our very personal @weijia. https://t.co/DTRshkr2tb
— aaja (@aaja) March 17, 2020
The feedback got here within the context of Trump referencing coronavirus because the “Chinese language flu,” which he later defended by saying he known as it that “‘Trigger it comes from China. It’s not racist in any respect, no, by no means. It comes from China … I need to be correct” as CNN reported.
Trump spokeswoman Kellyanne Conway addressed Trump’s and the alleged staffer’s feedback in a press convention the place she defended Trump’s description of coronavirus because the “Chinese language flu” by saying, “I feel he’s speaking about the place it began.”
She additionally mentioned that any description of the virus as “Kung-flu” was “extremely offensive,” declared, “After all it’s improper” and added that if the allegation had been true, she wish to know the identification of the staffer. When pressed by PBS’ Yamiche Alcindor, Conway responded with a press release concerning the heritage of her husband, George Conway. “I’m married to an Asian America and my children are 25% Flipino,” she mentioned.
Jiang has coated anti-Asian sentiment from the virus for CBS information, going to Chinatown and chatting with business-owners who advised her they had been scared.
5. She Is Married and A Mom
So grateful to work for an organization that gives parental depart, which ready me for this very bittersweet day. Off to make you proud, Frankie Mei! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/vgnPlYe3AC
— Weijia Jiang (@weijia) April 15, 2019
Jiang met Travis Luther Lowe in 2003 once they had been each on the Faculty of William & Mary. On the time, the 2 hosted a web-based TV present with information and political commentary and so they turned shut mates.
Of William & Mary, Jiang mentioned, “I'm eternally grateful for that depth and openness to permitting us to discover and to fulfill our curiosity. That curiosity helps you carve out your complete profession, no matter subject you select.”
Lowe went on to change into the worldwide vp for public coverage on the Yelp group the place individuals can submit critiques of handiwork, restaurant and different service industries. Jiang went from CBS in Baltimore and the New York native station to work for the nationwide CBS station.
Based on the New York Instances, a streetside fortune teller mentioned they had been “destined to spend eternity collectively.” The couple bought married on Mar. 17, 2018 in Palm Springs, California and so they have a daughter, Frankie Mei.
READ NEXT: WATCH: Trump Tells CBS Reporter Weijia Jiang ‘Preserve Your Voice Down’
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