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White House Correspondents’ Association Not Satisfied with Off-Camera Briefings

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James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. Photo courtesy White House.

Jeff Mason, president of the White House Correspondents’ Association, has announced the organization is “not satisfied” with the halt of daily, televised and recorded White House press briefings.

The White House press team has frequently cancelled or modified daily briefings, such as hosting off-camera sessions, forbidding the use of audio from the briefings, or cancelling them all together on certain days.

“The WHCA’s position on this issue is clear: we believe strongly that Americans should be able to watch and listen to senior government officials face questions from an independent news media, in keeping with the principles of the First Amendment and the need for transparency at the highest levels of government,” Mason said in an email to members of the association.

Members of the White House staff have publicly suggested changes in the daily briefings, and have already changed several aspects from the traditional setting. Changes such as “Skype Seats” where reporters and talk show hosts from across the country are able to ask questions, have been included in some briefings.

Press secretary Sean Spicer defended the administration’s changes and potential alterations to the format of the briefings. “We’re going to do what we can to communicate our message,” Spicer said at Tuesday’s briefing when asked about the frequency of press briefings. “The briefing is one aspect of what we do.”

Correspondents Criticize White House Press Briefings

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James Brady Press Briefing Room, 2007. Photo courtesy Wikipedia.

White House correspondents Monday publicly blasted press secretary Sean Spicer and the administration’s communications team for increasingly conducting off-camera questions-and-answers instead of the standard publicly broadcast press briefings.

Spicer has not held a publicly broadcast White House press briefing in over a week, as Monday he told the press cameras and audio recordings were not permitted throughout the proceedings.

CNN’s Jim Acosta took to the airwaves to criticize this decision by the administration:

“The White House press secretary is getting to a point where he’s just kind of useless. If they’re getting to this point where he’s not going to answer questions or go on camera or have audio, why are we even having these briefings or gaggles in the first place?”

During the briefing, Zeke Miller of Time Magazine challenged Spicer to answer “why our friends in radio and television can’t use this [briefing] live.”
Spicer’s response was that President Trump had made public comments during a photo opportunity with Panamanian President Juan Carlos Varela, and would again later in the day during a meeting at a technology council meeting.

There were no opportunities during either event for the media to ask President Trump any questions.

During the un-televised and un-recorded press briefing, press secretary Spicer also refused to take questions from CNN’s Acosta. The president and administration has pushed back frequently against stories critical of the administration on CNN, labeling the network as “fake news.”

“It’s off camera and you can’t answer questions?” Acosta yelled toward Spicer as the press secretary walked out of the briefing room.

Trump Again Characterizes Mainstream Media as “Fake News” on Twitter

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Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

President Donald Trump reiterated one of his usual phrases on Twitter Tuesday morning, blasting the press again as “fake news” after articles were published critical of the administration.

“The Fake News Media has never been so wrong or so dirty. Purposely incorrect stories and phony sources to meet their agenda of hate. Sad!”

The president regularly refers to the media as “fake news” and accuses journalists of printing fabrications and promoting an agenda when stories negative of the administration are published.

This latest tweet was posted the morning before Attorney General Jeff Sessions is scheduled to testify before the Senate Intelligence Committee. It has been suggested the Attorney General mislead or incorrectly testified before the Senate that he only met with Russian officials twice during the presidential campaign, where stories have inquired as to whether a third meeting at the Mayflower Hotel in Washington, D.C. took place in April 2016.

Trump also tweeted this week about the DOW and NASDAQ, stating the “#FakeNews [mainstream media] doesn’t report the great economic news since Election Day.”

According to TrumpTwitterArchive.com, President Trump has branded the mainstream media as “fake news” on Twitter at least 52 times on his personal account so far this year.

Media Likely to be Excluded During Trump-Putin Meeting

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Photo courtesy Gage Skidmore via Wikimedia Commons

President Donald Trump is likely to sit down with Russian President Vladimir Putin during the G20 summit in Germany this upcoming July, although no firm plans have been made so far according to a Kremlin spokesperson.

But according to Russian newspaper Izvestia, if that were to occur, the media would likely be excluded. There would likely be no photo opportunity, no press briefing, and no joint statement issued after the meeting.

“There will just be the meeting,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted in the newspaper.

Trump and Putin agreed during a phone call in May to try to meet face-to-face around the dates of the G20 summit in Hamburg.

White House Communications Director Mike Dubke Resigns

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Photo courtesy Pixabay.

After only three months on the job, White House communications director Mike Dubke has resigned. Dubke tendered his resignation on May 18, but the news has only become public, according to stories first published in Axios and the Washington Post.

According to reports, Dubke tendered his resignation on May 18, but offered to stay with the administration throughout President Trump’s first international trip.

As communications director, his primary focus was helping restructure the press operations of the White House, and is leaving on good terms, according to a senior administration official.

Dubke’s last day has yet to be set. It is assumed his job will remain open in the short term.

White House Deliberately Sending Fake News “Leaks” to Journalists

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The White House has been providing intentionally false information and “fake news” to The New York Times, according to White House correspondent Maggie Haberman.

On Twitter, conservative radio talk show host Bill Mitchell posted: “You know what we should do? Start flooding the NYTimes and WAPO tip lines with all kinds of crazy “leaks.”  Then laugh when they print them!”

However, New York Times White House correspondent Maggie Haberman responded that this was already the case, replying “The Trump administration has tried this a few times, sir.  We actually vet these things.”

In a recent interview with the Washington Post, Kyle Pope, editor in chief and publisher of the Columbia Journalism Review discusses the greatest threats to a free press today.

“I think the bigger risk right now is of somebody getting duped — intentional misdirection or fabricated leaks. In this climate, that is more what I would be worried about.”

President Trump has frequently criticized the mainstream media, and particularly The New York Times, saying recently in an interview with a conservative blog that the Times’ “intent is so evil and so bad” that “they write lies.”

Comey Memo: Trump Asked FBI Director to “Lock Up” Reporters

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Photo courtesy Rich Girard via Flickr.

Late Tuesday, the New York Times reported a bombshell that former FBI Director James Comey had authored at least one memo documenting one-on-one discussions he had with President Donald Trump. Most devastating in the reported memo is that the president asked Comey to halt FBI investigations into former National Security Advisor Michael Flynn.

However, other dark hints at the president’s war with the press were also reported in Comey’s memo, including Trump asking the head of the FBI to “consider putting reporters in prison.”

According to the memo, Comey met privately with President Trump following a meeting in the White House with other administration officials such as Vice President Mike Pence and Attorney General Jeff Sessions. The president began the discussion with Comey by condemning “leaks” to the media, and asked the head of the FBI to consider putting journalists in prison for publishing classified information.

No American journalist has been prosecuted for publishing government secrets. But President Trump notably said in April that “it’s OK with me” if the Justice Department brought charges against WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange.

During a House Intelligence Committee hearing in March this year, Comey testified on the topic of jailing journalists.

“That’s a harder question, as to whether a reporter incurs criminal liability by disclosing classified information,” he replied to an inquiry whether there was a law protecting journalists from prosecution.

Comey authored the memo immediately after meeting with the president as a paper trail documenting his perceived improper efforts by the president to influence an ongoing investigation.

Courts routinely consider FBI agents’ notes as credible evidence regarding the contents of conversations.

The White House has so far been silent on the reports regarding the contents of former director Comey’s memo. White House press secretary Sean Spicer did not take questions from journalists travelling on Air Force One Wednesday morning. President Trump also did not speak with reporters aboard the aircraft. Trump’s twitter feed was also uncharacteristically silent Wednesday morning.

Trump Contradicts White House Press Team, Threatens to End All White House Press Briefings, Hints Recordings May Exist

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Photo courtesy of Wikipedia.

In a week dominated by the news of President Trump firing former FBI director James Comey late Tuesday, the narrative from the White House and its supporters has been inconsistent and unclear, ranging from contradictory and misleading to adversarial.

Since Comey’s dismissal, the explanation and reasoning from White House press staff has been constantly evolving. Deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said during Wednesday’s press briefing that the president fired the former FBI director after receiving such recommendation from the Department of Justice. This argument has also been aggressively stated by others in the White House, including Vice President Mike Pence and special advisor Kellyanne Conway.

President Trump contradicted his press team Thursday night during an interview with NBC’s Lester Holt.

“I was going to fire Comey – my decision,” Trump said. “There is no good time to it, by the way. I was going to fire regardless of recommendation.”

Facing backlash on Thursday, Sanders stated she had answered questions based on facts as she had understood it at the time.

“I didn’t ask that question directly, ‘had you already made that decision.’ I went off of the information that I had when I answered your question,” Sanders stated during Thursday’s press briefing.

In response to the confusion and contradictory statements coming from White House staff and supporters, President Trump has suggested he may end all press briefings.

In addition, the president hinted that there possibly could be recordings of conversations he held with Comey in the White House.

The White House press office has not yet commented on the existence of recordings between the two individuals.

President Trump Won’t Meet the Press

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Jeff Goldblum, Emilie Livington, Robin Dearden and Bryan Cranston at the 2016 Garden Brunch. Photo courtesy Haddad Media.

It’s only three days until the top journalists and policymakers celebrate the white house press corps but the leader of the free world will be in Harrisburg, PA holding a rally that evening.  President Donald Trump has previously announced he will not attend this year’s White House Correspondents’ Dinner.  Instead, he recently announced he will host a rally in Pennsylvania the night of April 29th.

The White House would not offer details on rally details such as venue or topic.  According to Trump’s campaign website, the rally will take place in Harrisburg at 7:30 PM.

President Trump has taken an adversarial tone toward many in the mainstream media, including calling network news channels and print publications “fake news.”  No member of the White House staff will attend this year’s Correspondents’ Dinner in “solidarity” with the president.

The White House Correspondents’ Dinner will take place on Saturday at the Washington Hilton, annually drawing more than 2,000 reporters, celebrities and politicians.  Trump will be the first sitting president not in attendance since Ronald Reagan was recovering from an assassination attempt in 1981.

“The Daily Show’s” Hasan Minjah will be the featured performer at this year’s dinner, and legendary reporters Bob Woodward and Carl Bernstein will present journalism awards.  Proceeds from the dinner will fund scholarships for exceptional journalism students.

Trump Family Hosts White House Easter Egg Roll

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Photo courtesy the White House.

President Donald Trump and First Lady Melania Trump hosted their first White House Easter Egg Roll, amidst recent doubts the event would even take place.

With weather being overcast and cool on Monday, the Trumps welcomed children and their families from across the nation to partake in the 139-year tradition, with crowds approaching 20,000 people expected. About 200 volunteers – a fifth of the normal number – staffed the event.

Guests participated in activities beyond the egg rolling itself, including an egg hunt, decorating cookies, writing letters to U.S. troops, participating in a Minecraft coding activity with volunteers from Microsoft, and characters such as the Easter Bunny and Sesame Street’s Elmo.

Addressing the crowd, the President thanked the crowds and the soldiers deployed around the globe.

“We will be stronger and bigger and better as a nation than ever before and we are right on track…. Thanks you everybody for coming. We’re going to do cards for soldiers. Melania and Barron and myself are going to sign some cards for some great troops… We’re going come out and join you… for a great Easter egg roll.”

The first lady also addressed the participants, saying it was the “first time my husband and I are hosting this wonderful tradition. It’s great that all of you are here with us today. I want to thank the military band, staff and all the volunteers who worked tirelessly to make sure you enjoy the activities.”

At 10:30 AM, as a slight rain slowed to a drizzle, the Trumps joined scores of children waiting to begin.

“I’ve seen those kids and they’re highly, highly competitive,” the president said.

How important is President Trump’s Easter Egg Roll? This year Mark Halperin was on site as well as the usual morning show hosts including the Today Show’s Al Roker.