The Debate Over President Biden’s Lack of Formal News Conferences
President Joe Biden's lack of formal news conferences has been a topic of discussion among reporters and journalists, with some expressing frustration over the president's inaccessibility. White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended Biden's approach, claiming that the president takes an “unprecedented” amount of shouted questions from reporters.[0] Despite this, many mainstream reporters have voiced their disagreement with Jean-Pierre's claim, pointing out that Biden has not held as many formal press conferences as his predecessors.
The White House has previously used numbers to back up Jean-Pierre's specific claim about informal sessions, stating that Biden prefers the informal setting due to his decades as a U.S. senator.[1] However, sources have suggested that the president's avoidance of formal press conferences may be due to his penchant for verbal blunders and slipups when answering questions.
Sky News host James Macpherson has criticized the Biden administration's approach to press briefings, stating that they have “literally become a joke.”[2] Meanwhile, White House reporters have revolted at the news that Biden will not be holding a press conference during his upcoming trip to Ireland, with one reporter exclaiming that former President Donald Trump “took questions practically every day.”[3]
During a recent press briefing, New York Times reporter Michael Shear clashed with Jean-Pierre over the Biden administration's refusal to comment on Trump's recent indictment, accusing the White House of selective silence.[4] Jean-Pierre defended the president's approach, stating that Biden regularly takes questions from the press informally at different locations and formats.[5]
Overall, the lack of formal press conferences from the Biden administration has raised concerns among reporters and journalists, with some questioning whether the president is trying to avoid tough questions. While the White House has defended Biden's approach, it remains to be seen whether the president will address these concerns in a more formal setting.
0. “WH Reporters Lash Out Over Biden's Lack Of Press Conferences” Radar Online, 12 Apr. 2023, https://radaronline.com/p/white-house-reporters-revolt-karine-jean-pierre-biden-press-conference-ireland/
1. “‘Donald Trump Took Questions Practically Every Day!’ Press Revolts At Briefing Over No Biden Presser On Ireland Trip” Mediaite, 12 Apr. 2023, https://www.mediaite.com/news/donald-trump-took-questions-practically-every-day-press-revolts-at-briefing-over-no-biden-presser-on-ireland-trip
2. “‘Literally become a joke': Reporters left wanting answers from President Biden” msnNOW, 13 Apr. 2023, https://www.msn.com/en-au/news/other/literally-become-a-joke-reporters-left-wanting-answers-from-president-biden/ar-AA19NcRT?ocid=Peregrine
3. “‘No!': Reporters Fact-Check Jean-Pierre As She Insists Biden Takes ‘Unprecedented' Number of Questions” Washington Free Beacon, 10 Apr. 2023, https://freebeacon.com/biden-administration/reporters-shout-no-as-jean-pierre-insists-biden-takes-unprecedented-number-of-questions
4. “NYT reporter clashes with Karine Jean-Pierre over WH silence on Trump indictment: ‘You're lecturing me'” Fox News, 4 Apr. 2023, https://www.foxnews.com/media/nyt-reporter-clashes-with-karine-jean-pierre-over-wh-silence-on-trump-indictment
5. “Biden will NOT hold a formal press conference on his ‘personal' and ‘professional' trip to Ireland” Daily Mail, 11 Apr. 2023, https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-11962083/Biden-NOT-hold-formal-press-conference-personal-professional-trip-Ireland.html
