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RTÉ journalist speaks of her 'eye roll' moment with Donald Trump

US correspondent Caitriona Perry came to wider attention when Donald Trump was filmed beckoning her in the Oval Office while he was speaking to newly elected Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar
US correspondent Caitriona Perry came to wider attention when Donald Trump was filmed beckoning her in the Oval Office while he was speaking to newly elected Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar US correspondent Caitriona Perry came to wider attention when Donald Trump was filmed beckoning her in the Oval Office while he was speaking to newly elected Taoiseach, Leo Varadkar

THE RTÉ journalist complimented on her "nice smile" by US President Donald Trump has described it an "eye-roll" moment.

US correspondent Catriona Perry, who was last week announced as one half of the new all-female presenting duo for RTÉ’s 'Six One News', described the now famous encounter with Mr Trump as "bizarre".

The Irish journalist was in the Oval Office at the Whitehouse in June to witness a telephone conversation between Trump and then newly-appointed taoiseach Leo Varadkar.

During the call the President beckoned Ms Perry to his desk with his finger, before asking her name and where she was from. He then told the taoiseach: “She has a nice smile on her face. I bet she treats you well.”

Speaking about being called over to the President's desk, the journalist told the RTE's Late Late Show: “Honestly, I was thinking ‘this is a bit bizarre'."

“It was also bizarre as of course I would love a one-on-one with the president to question him about all his policies and everything else that he does, but that was not the time and place. I was walking up thinking where is this going…It was just very bizarre,” she said.

"Honestly, it was no big deal.”

When asked by presenter Ryan Tubridy if she felt flattered or insulted by the comments from the US President, she said, “Neither. I’m around the president a lot. I know how he behaves. I know what he says. He comes out with stuff like that.”

“It was probably more like an eye-roll type moment. I didn’t do that because I’m a professional," she added.