Staff Reports
The White House exerted significant control over the reporters who were granted access to President Joe Biden’s address on “aerial objects” on Thursday. Journalists were informed less than an hour prior to the press conference that they needed a “pre-credentialed” pass to attend. Upon entering the South Court Auditorium, White House staff individually checked the email containing the “pre-credential” of each correspondent. Although there were 23 available seats in the auditorium, the White House staff insisted that reporters adhere to the guidelines.
White House Demands Media 'Comply,' Hauls Specific Reporters Out Of Biden's UFO Brief
The White House controlled which reporters had access to Biden's remarks on UFOs, telling the media to "comply," and asking specific reporters — including @DailyCaller — to leave.
Thread🧵:
— Diana Glebova (@DianaGlebova) February 16, 2023
1. Everyone in the room had to be "pre-credentialed," due to "space limitations."
But there was enough room for everyone. pic.twitter.com/YVhcu4hQXk
— Diana Glebova (@DianaGlebova) February 16, 2023
President Biden refrained from taking any questions from the press following his remarks, but he did respond to a shouted question from Nelson. Following the brief exchange, Biden began to walk away and suggested that reporters could come to his office and ask a question if they preferred to speak to someone more courteous.
Read the full story here: @DailyCaller https://t.co/qG0jySzNHZ
— Diana Glebova (@DianaGlebova) February 16, 2023
The Biden administration has faced questions regarding the allocation of “pre-credentialed” passes. In June, Steven Nelson and others attempted to convince the White House to stop preventing reporters from accessing the East Room and South Court Auditorium. Despite these efforts, the White House declined to disclose the process by which they determine which journalists are granted “pre-credentialed” passes, leaving many to speculate about the decision-making criteria and who is responsible for it. Additionally, in December, The Caller was prohibited from attending Biden’s press briefing with French President Emmanuel Macron.
The White House’s handling of press access to President Joe Biden’s comments on “aerial objects” on Thursday has raised concerns about their process for granting “pre-credentialed” passes. The email notifying reporters who had been granted “pre-credentialing” was dispatched while journalists were being escorted to the auditorium, and several reporters, including correspondents from the Daily Caller, the New York Post, and Fox News Radio, were instructed to leave and wait in the hallway until they could be escorted back into the White House. During this episode, Steven Nelson of the New York Post refused to exit the room despite repeated requests from White House staff, highlighting that there was adequate space for everyone. Other journalists in the audience applauded Nelson’s responses, and the staff allowed him to stay.
Journalists have expressed concern regarding the absence of clarity on the selection of reporters to cover these events. In June, Steven Nelson penned a letter calling for the White House to permit press access, claiming that the current approach of allowing only a select few journalists to attend these events is constrictive and opposes the principle of a free press.
The preceding article is a summary of an article that originally appeared on The Daily Caller
