"If I can ask, on the Russia investigation," Acosta said, "are you concerned that you may have indictments coming down--"

"I am not concerned about anything with the Russian investigation because it is a hoax," Trump said, "That is enough, put down the mic." The White House on Wednesday said it is suspending access to CNN's chief White House correspondent Jim Acosta after he refused to give up the microphone while asking a question about the Russia investigation at a news conference. BREAKING: White House aide grabs and tries to physically remove a microphone from CNN Correspondent Jim Acosta during a contentious exchange with President Trump at a news conference. Sanders said the suspension of his press credentials stemmed from his “placing his hands on a young woman just trying to do her job as a White House intern.” She called the behavior “absolutely unacceptable.”

But many high-profile media members, including The New York Times’ Maggie Haberman and CNN executive Matt Dornic, have accused Sanders of using a doctored video speeding up Acosta’s arm motion, as evidence. Acosta’s press pass to access the White House was suspended “until further notice” Wednesday, hours after he engaged in a contentious back-and-forth with President Trump. Since then, Trump has said he had considered firing Comey even without that recommendation and has said the Russia investigation was on his mind when he made the decision. More: CNN's Jim Acosta has White House press badge revoked after Trump called him 'terrible'

More: President Trump calls media 'hostile,' says of CNN reporter Jim Acosta: 'You are a rude, terrible person'

In footage of the incident earlier published by NBC and others, a White House intern attempts to take the microphone out of Acosta's right hand, during which Acosta lowers his left hand to block the woman while apologizing, "Pardon me, ma'am."
White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders receives widespread condemnation after allegedly tweeting an altered video from a press conference the day before. The video, which was allegedly doctored by the far-right conspiracy website InfoWars, is claimed to falsely depict CNN's White House correspondent Jim Acosta physically assaulting an intern.