Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, responded awkwardly before storming out of the briefing room on Thursday when Today News Africa reporter Simon Ateba attempted to directly question her over not answering his questions, a seeming pattern from the Biden White House when it comes to members of the press they dislike.
Ateba blurted a question concerning the forthcoming US election. President Joe Biden plans to meet with 50 African leaders during the Africa Summit. The White House reporter pressed her on why she refused to answer a question regarding the summit.
“Why is it so hard to give me a question?” Ateba asked Pierre.
“It is not hard, would you let me answer the question?” she responded.
Ateba again attempted to ask another question before Pierre shot back once more:
“I just tried and you wouldn’t let me, sir. So your colleague is gonna ask a question.” Pierre responded angrily before abruptly ending the session and storming out of the room.
The reporter has often chastised Jean-Pierre and previous White House press secretary Jen Psaki for only allowing a few reporters to ask questions.
During Dr. Anthony Fauci’s last White House briefing on Nov. 22, Ateba advised Jean-Pierre that she should react to a question concerning the origins of COVID presented by Daily Caller correspondent Diana Glebova.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) threatened Ateba with expulsion for disrupting Psaki’s final briefing in May by refusing to take his questions.
“I am the victim here and I am being treated so unfairly by WHCA. It is sad and it is heartbreaking. America is the greatest country in the world and no country comes even close. Here in the United States, press freedom is respected, or so I thought, or so I was made to believe.” Ateba said after the original expulsion threat from the White House.
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