Tensions flare between White House and press corps over Biden health

Things devolved quickly on Monday afternoon when White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced a press corps that had grown increasingly frustrated over the previous week.

“My first (question) to you is on the credibility of this White House when it comes to talking about the president’s health,” said Associated Press correspondent Zeke Miller.

Soon, CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe was lashing out at Jean-Pierre for not divulging information about a doctor’s visits to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

“Karine, you’re not answering the question. It’s a very basic, direct question,” he said.

Jean-Pierre, seemingly taken aback by his tone, asked O’Keefe to show “a little respect here.”

Monday’s briefing was emblematic of a growing rift between the White House and the reporters who cover it — a press corps that has chafed for years about having less access to President Biden than they would like, as he sits for fewer interviews and holds fewer news conferences than his predecessors.

In the wake of Biden’s halting performance at the June 27 debate against Donald Trump, Jean-Pierre has faced pointed questions and aggressive pushback from journalists about shifting official accounts of the president’s health and care.

“There’s very little trust right now, and it’s really frustrating,” said one correspondent, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak candidly. “I think everyone is pissed. It’s the lid coming off after 3½ years of pressure-cooking, of us being shut out.”

During that Monday briefing, correspondents grew frustrated that Jean-Pierre would not explain why an expert in Parkinson’s disease had met multiple times with the main White House physician, according to public logs.

The White House would clarify that evening that the physician, Kevin Cannard, had simply performed the neurological component of the president’s annual physical — but only after Jean-Pierre initially told reporters that she could not identify specific doctors. On Tuesday evening, Jean-Pierre clarified that she misspoke when she suggested during the day’s briefing that a Jan. 17 visit by the doctor was unrelated to Biden.

“You’ve allowed this to fester longer, Karine, unless the White House answers the question,” O’Keefe said, after the press secretary refused to name the doctor, citing privacy reasons. “We’re a little miffed around here about how information has been shared with the press corps about him.”

“I’m not going to (share) that,” Jean-Pierre retorted. “... It doesn’t matter how hard you push me, it doesn’t matter how angry you get with me.”

The clashes on Monday reminded some reporters of the Trump administration, when tensions ran high between reporters and press secretaries such as Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kayleigh McEnany, who all seemed to relish clashes with members of the media.

“It was the Trumpiest briefing I’ve been in since Trump left office,” the correspondent speaking anonymously added.

Questions from reporters started flying almost as soon as Biden left the debate stage on June 27. But they picked up in intensity and directness during a press briefing the following Tuesday, when NBC News correspondent Kelly O’Donnell, one of the deans of the White House press corps, asked Jean-Pierre whether “anyone in the White House (is) hiding information about the president’s health or his ability to do the job day-to-day.”

Another reporter asked Jean-Pierre, “Are you being straight with the American people on this?”

That day, and in the briefings that have followed, Jean-Pierre has largely rejected calls from reporters to provide more information about Biden’s health than has already been released.

“My feeling is this is the most secretive and secluded presidency I’ve ever covered,” said correspondent Brian Karem, a writer for Salon, who famously clashed with Trump press secretaries. “There is every indication from the way they conduct business that the press and public access to this president is not of high priority. And that is a mistake.”

Jean-Pierre also faced pushback for offering varying accounts of Biden’s recent medical history. She initially told reporters that he had not had an exam since February. Later, she clarified that the president has had short verbal “check-ins” with his doctor, including one after the debate.

“I did not mean to steer anybody wrong,” she said Monday.

All along, Jean-Pierre has said in briefings that questions about Biden’s age and vitality are legitimate. And, during Monday’s session, she acknowledged that she has made mistakes.

“I will be the first one to admit: Sometimes I get it wrong,” she said. “At least I admit that.”

In response to criticism, the White House has defended Jean-Pierre’s performance, while also arguing that the Biden administration has been transparent and accessible to the media. Officials emphasized the number of overall interactions the president has had with the media — including the more informal “gaggles.”

“She takes hard questions day in and day out, giving thorough answers and representing President Biden and his agenda for the American people with grace and integrity,” deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told The Washington Post on Wednesday.

He added: “We also take care to listen to reporters as they honor their important role of seeking more information. Joe Biden has always said that it is fair for reporters to ask about his age and has always confidently put his values and agenda to the American people.”

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Will Sommer contributed to this report.