Jan 22, 2019 - Politics & Policy
Trump: I've told Sarah Sanders "not to bother" with press briefings
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President Trump said in a Tuesday tweet that he's directed White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders "not to bother" with press briefings because "certain members of the press" cover her "rudely" and "inaccurately."
The big picture: The current 35-day streak without a press briefing from the White House podium is the longest on record since the tradition started during President Bill Clinton's administration, according to ABC News' Alex Mallin. White House Correspondents' Association President Olivier Knox said in a response that "no one in a healthy republic is above being questioned."
Statement from Trump:
"The reason Sarah Sanders does not go to the "podium" much anymore is that the press covers her so rudely & inaccurately, in particular certain members of the press. I told her not to bother, the word gets out anyway! Most will never cover us fairly & hence, the term, Fake News!"— President Trump
Statement from WHCA:
"This retreat from transparency and accountability sets a terrible precedent. Being able to question the press secretary or other senior government officials publicly helps the news media tell Americans what their most powerful representatives are doing in their name. While other avenues exist to obtain information, the robust, public back-and-forth we’ve come to expect in the James A. Brady briefing room helps highlight that no one in a healthy republic is above being questioned."— WHCA President Olivier Knox
