Written by: Natalia Perez
On Tuesday, President Biden met with the U.K. Prime Minister, Boris Johnson, to discuss various issues. After their meeting, Johnson answered a few questions from the press. However, when Biden was asked questions, the White House aides promptly escorted reporters out of the Oval Office.
Reporters soon expressed their frustrations with Biden’s behavior afterward. Washington Post reporter Seung Min Kim described the situation as “Not good, folks.”
Wall Street Journal reporter Andrew Restuccia said. Daily Mirror editor Pippa Crerar added, “A chaotic scene in the Oval Office today as Boris Johnson unexpectedly took questions from British reporters, and White House aides shouted over American reporters as we tried to ask Biden questions… The White House colleagues might be interested to know the British press thought aides shouting was totally out of order. An unwelcome lack of accountability.”
Shortly after the incident, the press filed a formal complaint to press secretary Jen Psaki’s office. “The entire editorial component of the US pool went immediately into Jen Psaki’s office to register a formal complaint that no American reporters were recognized for questions in the president’s Oval Office…”
The press has criticized Biden and his administration for the lack of transparency and access to the president. Many have scrutinized Biden’s unwillingness to answer any questions from reporters as being unfit for his position. As president, Biden needs to be as open as possible with the press and the American people, something that he is clearly unable to do.
Photo from: NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images
