President Obama became embroiled in a furious confrontation with a political reporter who heckled him as he announced his new immigration policy in the Rose Garden of the White House on Friday.
During Obama's speech, Neil Munro, an Irish-born reporter for conservative website the Daily Caller, yelled: 'Why do you favour foreigners over American workers?'
A clearly rattled Mr Obama, who was announcing plans to allow 800,000 illegal immigrants to the stay in the U.S., responded: 'Not while I’m speaking.'
As the president tried to carry on with his speech, Munro continued to heckle him, drawing an angry response from Mr Obama and fellow reporters.
The bizarre confrontation overshadowed Obama's announcement, and is likely to turn Mr Munro into something of a cause celebre among those opposed to the controversial plans.
It also triggered a furious debate about the media's treatment of Obama, with one commentator asking whether a white president would have been heckled.
And in a sign of the almost unprecedented nature of the confrontation, former George W. Bush spokesman Tony Fratto tweeted after the broadcast: 'Reporters don't interrupt presidential statements. Period. @NeilMunroDC should be banned from [the White House]'.
When Mr Obama finally finished the speech, he returned to Munro's question and said his plan 'was the right thing to do for the American people'.
But Munro was not content and continued to yell at the president. Frustrated, Obama added: 'I didn’t ask for an argument. I’m answering your question.'
Munro, who is originally from Ireland and studied at university in Dublin and London before marrying an American, reportedly yelled out that he was an immigrant and walked away from the press pen.
On his way, Munro was heard shouting, with a distinct Irish accent: 'What about American workers who are unemployed, while you employ foreigners?'
Asked afterwards who he was, Munro simply said: 'I’m just a reporter asking questions you should be asking.' When journalists asked if he would give his name, he said: 'Yeah. But you'll misspell it.'
OBAMA TAKES vs THE HECKLER
As President Obama delivered his immigration speech in the Rose Garden on Friday, reporter Neil Munro spoke up.
Munro: 'Why do you favor foreigners over Americans?'
Obama: 'Excuse me, sir, but it’s not time for questions.'
Munro: 'Are you going to take questions?'
Obama: 'Not while I’m speaking.'
After he finished his speech, Obama added: 'In answer to your question, sir - and the next time I’d prefer you’d let me finish my statement before you ask that question - is this is the right thing to do for the American people.'
As Obama spoke, Munro continued to interrupt. 'I didn’t ask for an argument, I’m answering your question,' the President said.
As he left the press pen, Munro yelled: 'What about American workers who are unemployed, while you employ foreigners?'
In a statement on the Daily Caller's website, Munro said he believed the president had almost finished speaking when he asked his question.
'I always go to the White House prepared with questions for our president,' he wrote. 'I timed the question believing the president was closing his remarks, because naturally I have no intention of interrupting the President of the United States.
'I know he rarely takes questions before walking away from the podium.'
On his Twitter page, Munro describes himself as: 'Born Irish, then became a Cold War bridegroom. I worked at Defense News, Washington Technology, then 10 years at National Journal, and now at TheDC. Lucky me.'
Another online bio claims he received his U.S. citizenship a month before 9/11.
On his LinkedIn profile, Munro states he has a Bachelor of Arts in Politics, History and Economics from University College Dublin as well and an MA in Military History from King’s College in London.
The Daily Caller praised Munro, who has worked at the website for two years. 'We are very proud of, @NeilMunroDC for doing his job,' the online publication posted to its Twitter feed.
The website's founder, Tucker Carlson, defended his reporter after ABC anchor Diane Sawyer called Munro a 'heckler'.
'I don't remember Diane Sawyer scolding her colleague Sam Donaldson for heckling President [Ronald] Reagan. And she shouldn't have,' Carlson said in a statement on the Daily Caller.
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