Donald Trump suddenly departed the National Christmas Tree lighting event on Wednesday night without White House staff notifying a pool of reporters assigned to monitor the president’s movements of his whereabouts.

Members of the protective press pool — a group of reporters assigned to remain with the president and document his activities — indicated shortly after 6:30 p.m. that Trump had returned to the White House without any warning or comment from staffers.

Reporters were briefly held at the Ellipse outside the White House without any immediate indication of where the president had gone. They were later notified that Trump had returned to the White House via motorcade without the press pool in tow.

Members of the press pool were pretty peeved:

I have been a print pooler for six years during the Obama and Trump administrations. I have never been part of a protective pool that was left behind until today.

— Anita Kumar (@anitakumar01) November 29, 2018

The protective press pool exists to be in close proximity to the president in the event of an emergency and to document his movements for history. Can do neither at the moment. https://t.co/eXXKc8BQox

— Zeke Miller (@ZekeJMiller) November 28, 2018

BREAKING: The WH press pool is reporting that President Trump's motorcade abruptly left the Christmas tree lighting ceremony in Washington DC, leaving the press pool behind and then refusing to provide any details.

Is something big happening?
Is Trump panicking?

— Ed Krassenstein (@EdKrassen) November 29, 2018

Something weird is going on with Trump tonight. He abondoned his protective pool.

— Michael Moates (@freedom_moates) November 29, 2018

I am the White House print pooler tonight. That means I am supposed to be with @POTUS. Instead, I and the rest of the pool, were left at an event while POTUS returned to the White House.

— Anita Kumar (@anitakumar01) November 28, 2018

The White House did not provide an explanation for leaving the media behind, despite several questions from the press pool.

The president and first lady attended the national Christmas tree lighting on Wednesday night. They sat in the front row for most of the festivities, and the two appeared on stage briefly to light the tree and wish the crowd a merry Christmas.

Trump, who has had a contentious relationship with the media, previously abandoned his protective press pool between his election and inauguration, though he has not done so since taking office.

WATCH:

Tonight, President Trump and First Lady Melania Trump lit the National Christmas Tree in President's Park on the Ellipse! pic.twitter.com/rYMaOfaxgd

— The White House (@WhiteHouse) November 28, 2018