US President Donald Trump has insulted a woman journalist who tried to question him at a media conference called to celebrate his new trade deal with Canada and Mexico.

As ABC America reporter Cecilia Vega stood up at Tuesday’s media conference in the White House Rose Garden, Mr Trump got in first: “She’s shocked that I picked on her. She’s, like, in a state of shock,” he said, to laughs from the crowd.

Vega denied the assertion: “No, I’m not. Thank you, Mr President.”

But Trump continued to taunt her.

“That’s OK. I know you’re not thinking. You never do,” he said.

A shocked Vega replied, “I’m sorry?”, which Mr Trump dismissed.

“Go ahead,” he said.

Watch: During Q&A's with reporters after announcing a new trade deal with Mexico and Canada, President Trump insulted ABC News reporter @CeciliaVega when he called on her. https://t.co/Gi7jVJiHbG pic.twitter.com/eX7IP7OFsN

— NBC Bay Area (@nbcbayarea) October 1, 2018

Vega went on to ask Mr Trump about reports that the White House is limiting the scope of the investigation into Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh.

“In a tweet this weekend, Mr President, you said that it’s incorrect to say you were limiting the scope of the FBI investigation … ”

Mr Trump cut her off: “What does that have to do with trade? I don’t mind answering the question, but, you know, I’d like to do the trade questions.”

“It has to do with the other headline in the news, which is the Kavanaugh investigation,” Vega said.

Mr Trump then responded to a question on trade, before Vega again tried to ask about Mr Kavanaugh.

“Let’s do that later,” he said, moving on to another reporter.

In a transcript released after the media conference, the White House quoted Mr Trump differently, saying he said “I know you’re not thanking”.

After the conference, Vega posted the following tweet:

A news conference means you get to ask whatever question you want to ask. #FirstAmendment

— Cecilia Vega (@CeciliaVega) October 1, 2018

It’s not the first tense exchange between Vega and Mr Trump. In July, she asked him if Russia was still targeting the US.

“Thank you very much, no,” he responded. Unsure about the answer, Vega said: “Can you just clarify, you don’t believe that to be the case?”

Mr Trump ignored her, and went on to take other questions.

But Vega was not the only reporter to feel Mr Trump’s wrath today.

At the same Rose Garden media conference, he shut down another female reporter for inquiring about the Kavanaugh probe.

“Mr President, now that you have answered several questions on trade, I would like to turn to Mr Kavanaugh,” CNN journalist Kaitlan Collins said.

Mr Trump interrupted her, with: “Don’t do that. Do you have a question on trade?”

Collins continued with her question about Mr Kavanaugh and Mr Trump dismissed her.

“Excuse me, don’t do that, don’t do that, be nice,” he said, before turning to another reporter and ignoring Collins.

Mr Trump did deal with the Kavanaugh questions later, saying it “wouldn’t bother me at all” to have the FBI question the third woman, Julie Swetnick, who has accused Mr Kavanaugh of sexual assault.

However, he said Ms Swetnick had “very little credibility”.

“The FBI should do what they have to do to get to the answer,” Mr Trump said. “I want it to be comprehensive.”

-with agencies