In yet another example of why the Trump administration has such heartburn in dealing with the media, President Donald Trump met with a about sixty presidents of Historically Black Colleges and Universities in the Oval Office on Monday, yet the media focused on Trump senior advisor Kellyanne Conway taking pictures of the meeting while positioned on an Oval Office couch. 
 
 AFP posted only one photo from the meeting, focused on Conway, with the caption, “Kellyanne Conway checks her phone after taking a photo of President Donald Trump and leaders of black universities, colleges in Oval Office” 
 
 Kellyanne Conway checks her phone after taking a photo of President Donald Trump and leaders of black universities, colleges in Oval Office pic.twitter.com/MgVhCoJFuC — AFP news agency (@AFP) February 28, 2017 
 
 The AFP photo was retweeted by CNN’s Jake Tapper. 
 
 Jon Passantino, Deputy News Director for Buzzfeed, posted another photo of Conway with the caption, “Shoes on the couch in the Oval Office” 
 
 Shoes on the couch in the Oval Office pic.twitter.com/h2MXUocEar — Jon Passantino (@passantino) February 28, 2017 
 
 MSNBC producer Kyle Griffin, “Trying to imagine the reaction if any Obama admin. official sat on a couch in the Oval like that.” 
 
 Trying to imagine the reaction if any Obama admin. official sat on a couch in the Oval like that. — Kyle Griffin (@kylegriffin1) February 28, 2017 
 
 GQ’s Keith Olbermann, “Get your fucking feet off the furniture, @KellyannePolls. This isn’t your home.” 
 
 Get your fucking feet off the furniture, @KellyannePolls. This isn't your home. https://t.co/12DpukKDkS — Keith Olbermann (@KeithOlbermann) February 28, 2017 
 
 The Australian chimed in from the other side of the globe, “What’s Kellyanne Conway doing on the couch?” 
 
 What's Kellyanne Conway doing on the couch? https://t.co/Lb7okO7bl2 — The Australian (@australian) February 28, 2017 
 
 The New York Daily News, “Kellyanne Conway photographed kneeling on White House couch”. 
 
 Kellyanne Conway photographed kneeling on Oval Office couch, Twitter calls out Trump adviser for disrespect – New … https://t.co/K2RkutJQKd — Royal Times Nigeria (@royaltimesng) February 28, 2017 
 
 The Telegraph, “UK Telegraph: ‘Show some class’: Kellyanne Conway accused of lacking respect after putting feet up on Oval Office couch” 
 
 UK Telegraph: 'Show some class': Kellyanne Conway accused of lacking respect after putting feet up on Oval Offi… https://t.co/Opf3dfB3bq — Democra Europe (@DemocraEurope) February 28, 2017 
 
 Yashar, New York Magazine and Daily Beast Contributing Writer, had a Twitter meltdown. A sample: 
 
 WHAT IS GOING ON HERE?? pic.twitter.com/jsO9aNBiEY — Yashar (@yashar) February 28, 2017 
 
 Because she's showing disrespect to the Presidents of Historically Black Colleges https://t.co/LqaFU10Ylh — Yashar (@yashar) February 28, 2017 
 
 An uncredited pool photo of Conway on the couch was also making the Twitter rounds. 
 
 Please tell me this is just a leaked screen grab from "Get Out 2" and NOT the way KellyAnne Conway greeted the leaders of HBC's at the Oval. pic.twitter.com/QTe7ppo27j — LITTLE MARVIN (@LITTLEMARVIN) February 28, 2017 
 
 Conway appears to have positioned herself on the couch to take photos without interfering with the pool cameras. Instead the pool cameras chose to focus on Conway. 
 
 For a proper photo of President Trump’s meeting with HBCU presidents, one had to turn to senior Trump advisor Dan Scavino, Jr. 
 
 CBS News’ Mark Knoller posted a listed of HBCUs represented at the meetings Monday with Trump and Vice President Pence. 
 
 HBCUs represented at WH meetings today with Pres Trump and VP Pence: pic.twitter.com/kHAJEuexPZ — Mark Knoller (@markknoller) February 27, 2017 
 
 Photo Pence meeting with HBCU presidents. 
 
 Trump Administration applauds HBCUs, will sign executive order tomorrow. https://t.co/W15ifgwFkG pic.twitter.com/HxjMsi48Y7 — HBCU Digest (@HBCUDigest) February 28, 2017 ||||| Kellyanne Conway puts feet on Oval Office couch; Twitter freaks 
 
 CLOSE White House Senior Advisor Kellyanne Conway was pictured kneeling on the Oval Office couch setting off a firestorm on Twitter. It reminded of us some similar Oval Office controversies from the past. USA TODAY 
 
 
 
 
 
 Social media erupted Monday night after Kellyanne Conway, a White House senior adviser, was pictured kneeling on the Oval Office couch to snap a photo of President Trump with leaders of the nation's historically black colleges and universities. 
 
 The moment sparked an array of emotions from all sides of the viral spectrum: 
 
 ...does Kellyanne have a Snapchat we don't know about? pic.twitter.com/M4nksMqh1d — Kareem Yasin (@thekareem) February 28, 2017 
 
 Give it up Kellyanne, he's not gunna text you back pic.twitter.com/RiIMFbFxU1 — sam donovan (@imamsamm) February 28, 2017 
 
 The photos of Conway, who has come under fire for her comments on the "Bowling Green massacre" (which never took place) and remarks touting Ivanka Trump's fashion line during a television appearance, sparked sharp criticism as social media users felt Conway was being disrespectful: 
 
 In this photo exists every comment on race and on respectability to be had on earth pic.twitter.com/5E2Q38dxaX — Theodore R. Johnson (@T_R_Johnson_III) February 28, 2017 
 
 Now, you can't expect us to take this "meeting" seriously when this is the setting. pic.twitter.com/IAx34PlliM — deray mckesson (@deray) February 28, 2017 
 
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– Kellyanne Conway says she was just trying to capture a big moment, not create one. In an interview on Lou Dobbs Tonight on Tuesday, the White House adviser says the viral photo of her kneeling on an Oval Office couch simply caught her doing what she was asked: "What happened is we had the largest gathering of men and women to date in the Oval Office for a picture ... I was being asked to take a picture in a crowded room with the press behind us, and I was asked to take a certain angle and was doing exactly that," she told Dobbs. "I certainly meant no disrespect. I didn't mean to have my feet on the couch." Then she flipped the criticism on its head: "If we started a trend here, where people are outwardly talking about greater respect for the office of the president and its current occupant, then perhaps that’s something positive to come out" of this. And in emails to the Washington Post, Conway tried to shift the attention back where she felt it should be: "on the actual visit and the incredible, important work of these men and women at [historically black colleges and universities]." Trump aide Omarosa Manigault, who was present, also framed the moment to the Post, calling it "very sweet ... to be honest. She looked down at the picture after she got it, and I looked at her and said, 'Kellyanne, did you get a good shot?' ... She tried again; she positioned herself to get a better picture. It really was at my encouragement for her to try to capture such an important, historic moment." (Check out more reaction to the photo here and here.)