Kellyanne Conway Responds To Kneeling On Oval Office Couch Controversy: She 'Meant No Disrespect'

Kellyanne Conway, a close counselor to President Donald Trump, said she didn’t think a picture of her sitting with her legs folded beneath her on a couch in the Oval Office would cause so much uproar, adding that she was asked to take a picture from a particular angle during Trump's Monday meeting with leaders from historically black colleges and universities. Conway was on Fox Business Network's "Lou Dobbs Tonight" Tuesday to address the controversial photo, which many thought it was a sign of disrespect and lack of home training considering she had on shoes.

“I was very busy today and didn’t follow a lot of it, but I know there are a couple of reports at least showing what happened. And what happened is we had the largest gathering of men and women to date in the Oval Office for a picture,” the White House adviser said. “I was being asked to take a picture in a crowded room with the press behind us. I was asked to take a certain angle and was doing exactly that. I certainly meant no disrespect, I didn’t mean to have my feet on the couch.”

Dobbs said those who had attacked Conway for the way she was seated are guilty of "deplorable hypocrisy" and called it "venom of the left," pointing out pictures of former President Barack Obama with his feet up on his desk.

“It is venomous, it is vicious, it bothers my children to be frank with you. I have 24/7 Secret Service protection because people do wish us harm and people should take that very seriously. I’m not a victim at all but people should take very seriously the import of their words when I meant no disrespect,” Conway said.

Conway then proceeded to place the entire blame on an unnamed reporter for taking the picture Monday. “This came from a journalist that is not happy that Donald Trump is the president,” Conway told Dobbs. “But I just want people to focus on the great work of the HBCU presidents and how honored we were to have them here.”

She added that despite the scrutiny she faces due to the photo, she is pleased that people are showing “greater respect for the Office of the President and its current occupant.”

“That’s something positive that came out. But I, of course, meant no disrespect,” Conway said.