Biden snaps at reporter for not playing 'by the rules' when reporter surprises him with off-topic question



President Joe Biden rebuked a reporter on Thursday for not playing "by the rules."

Earlier in the day, Biden announced a 10-year bilateral security agreement with Ukraine to help the country "defend itself now and to deter future aggression." The agreement also reaffirmed the Biden administration's stance that "Ukraine’s future is in NATO," a position that experts believe is a red line for Moscow. In fact, Russian President Vladimir Putin said Friday the war could end if Ukraine renounces plans to join NATO.

'I'm here to talk about a critical situation in Ukraine. You're asking another subject.'

At a press conference with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy to discuss the new U.S.-Ukrainian agreement, Biden got upset when a reporter asked an off-topic question.

After both presidents spoke, Biden called on Bloomberg reporter Josh Wingrove to ask a question. It appeared that staffers had preselected which reporters would be allowed to ask a question.

But instead of asking Biden about the U.S.-Ukrainian agreement, Wingrove queried Biden about the Israel-Hamas war.

"I wish you guys would play by the rules a little bit," Biden snapped.

"I'm here to talk about a critical situation in Ukraine. You're asking another subject. I'll be happy to answer in detail later, but the bottom line is that we made an agreement," Biden chided.

— (@)

Wingrove was actually the second — and final — American reporter on whom Biden called. The first, Colleen Long from the Associated Press, didn't earn a scolding despite asking Biden about his son, Hunter.

Still, Biden's assertion that Wingrove did not adhere to the "rules" raised eyebrows and questions about the media's independence.

The incident forced NBC News' Kelly O'Donnell, president of the White House Correspondents' Association, to release a statement clarifying what happened.

"The White House Correspondents’ Association believes it is in the public interest to make clear that at a presidential press conference, at home or abroad, there are no preconditions regarding question topics," O'Donnell said.

"While the White House does determine the number of reporters the president will recognize, it is up to professional journalists to decide what to ask," she added. "Any leader may prefer that reporters ask only one question or ask only about a topic that is of most interest to the president or another world leader, but a free press functions independently."

Biden has given few press conferences as president, and when he does speak with the press, the White House normally preselects the reporters who get to ask a question.

Last April, a photographer snapped a picture of one of Biden's media "cheat sheets" that appeared to show he had advance knowledge of a reporter's question.

The White House and the media outlet in question later denied that Biden had advance knowledge of the question.

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President Biden caught not wearing mask at swanky DC restaurant, violating city's mask mandate



President Joe Biden was caught on video not wearing a mask while walking inside of a swanky restaurant in Washington, D.C. – violating the city's face mask mandate.

The president and first lady dined at the Michelin-starred Fiola Mare restaurant on Saturday night. The extravagant restaurant's cuisine is "inspired by Italy's coastlines and the bounty of its most pristine seafood." The restaurant sells an ounce of Royal Oscietra caviar for $250.

Photos and videos show Biden not wearing a mask while walking through the restaurant.

WATCH: Joe Biden walks through an expensive Washington, D.C. restaurant without a mask, violating D.C.'s mask manda… https://t.co/PJsLmoPw3B

— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) 1634441338.0

President Biden leaving the restaurant after date night with the First Lady (who ducked out moments before as he lo… https://t.co/kAi7iTn1QA

— Josh Wingrove (@josh_wingrove) 1634429072.0

There has been a mask mandate in effect in Washington, D.C. since July 31.

This guidance presents recommendations that the general public should follow for wearing face masks (or cloth face coverings) to help prevent the spread of COVID-19, and it also provides the rules that must be followed for masking indoors, even for fully vaccinated persons.

This includes any business or establishment open to members of the public (including but not limited to: grocery stores, restaurants and bars (when not eating or drinking), places of worship, gyms, office buildings, libraries, indoor entertainment venues.

The Fiola Mare restaurant states on its website that masks are required.

Per CDC guidance and DC Mayor Muriel Bowser's executive order, all individuals over age 2 are required to wear a mask indoors, regardless of vaccination status. Masks must be always worn while in our restaurants, except while eating and drinking. Thank you for understanding.

The same day that the city's mask mandate went into effect, Washington Mayor Muriel Bowser (D) broke her own mask rule to officiate a wedding at a four-star hotel in the city.

Biden joins a long list of Democrats who flouted their own COVID-19 rules.

Democrats who broke their own coronavirus guidances include California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer, San Francisco Mayor London Breed, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot, Austin Mayor Steve Adler, Denver Mayor Michael Hancock, San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo, Biden's special envoy on climate John Kerry, Sen. Dianne Feinstein, and Los Angeles County supervisor Sheila Kuehl.

WH press secretary Jen Psaki issues quasi-apology after seeming to mock the Space Force



White House press secretary Jen Psaki found herself in hot water on Tuesday after she appeared to mock the Space Force, the U.S. military's newest branch, during her daily press briefing.

What happened?

While meeting with reporters, Psaki was asked about the Biden administration's position on the Space Force, the sixth military branch, created by former President Donald Trump.

"Wow. Space Force. It's the plane of today," Psaki responded sarcastically, referring to a question she answered two weeks ago about Air Force One, which Trump sought to redesign during his presidency.

The reporter who asked the Space Force question pushed back against Psaki's reaction, which elicited a response from the press secretary.

"It is an interesting question," Psaki said. "I am happy to check with our Space Force point of contact. I'm not sure who that is. I will find out and see if we have any update on that."

Here's Jen Psaki laughing at the question from Bloomberg's @Josh_Wingrove about whether Biden will keep the U.S.… https://t.co/FNJQe7YElv
— Curtis Houck (@Curtis Houck)1612293213.0

What was the response?

Psaki was condemned by Republican lawmakers for mocking the Space Force.

Rep. Mike Rogers (R-Ala.) released a statement demanding that Psaki apologize, according to Politico:

It's concerning to see the Biden administration's press secretary blatantly diminish an entire branch of our military as the punchline of a joke, which I'm sure China would find funny. The Space Force was passed with near unanimous support in Congress, the same type of "unity" President Biden is supposedly working towards. Jen Psaki needs to immediately apologize to the men and women of the Space Force for this disgraceful comment.

Rep. Michael Waltz (R-Fla.) similarly said, "This is just another example of the Biden administration not taking China seriously while demeaning the incredible work of Space Force personnel."

Meanwhile, Rep. Dan Crenshaw (R-Texas) called Pskai's overall posture toward the question concerning.

"In all seriousness, this was a very real question about Space Force, and deserved a real answer. Her disdain for questions that fall outside the 'what is the President's favorite ice cream!?' genre is really a problem," Crenshaw tweeted.

How did Psaki respond?

While she did not outright apologize, she appeared to issue a quasi-apology, saying the Biden administration will continue the work of the Space Force.

"We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force and invite the members of the team to come visit us in the briefing room anytime to share an update on their important work," Psaki said later on Tuesday.

We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force and invite the members of the team to come visit us in the br… https://t.co/bY0xBxw6ng
— Jen Psaki (@Jen Psaki)1612311504.0

Trump reportedly bans Pence chief of staff Marc Short from White House



President Donald Trump reportedly banned Marc Short, Vice President Mike Pence's chief of staff, from the White House after Pence did not try to overturn the Electoral College results.

What's a brief history here?

Ahead of Wednesday's certification, Trump urged Pence to challenge the results, even though Pence did not have unilateral authority to do so, Business Insider reported.

Ahead of the vote, Pence issued a statement on the certification, which stated, "It is my considered judgment that my oath to support and defend the Constitution constrains me from claiming unilateral authority to determine which electoral votes should be counted and which should not."

When Pence refused to comply with Trump's urging, Trump blasted the vice president for not having the "courage to do what should have been done" during the largely procedural vote.

In a since-deleted tweet, the president said, "Mike Pence didn't have the courage to do what should have been done to protect our Country and our Constitution, giving States a chance to certify a corrected set of facts, not the fraudulent or inaccurate ones which they were asked to previously certify. USA demands the truth!"

What are the details?

On Wednesday night, Bloomberg reporter Saleha Mohsin reported that Trump banned Short from the White House.

Mohsin took to Twitter with the report, writing, "Trump banned Pence chief of staff Marc Short from the WH today, sources tell @JenniferJJacobs, me, and @josh_wingrove[.] Top WH advisers including [national security adviser Robert] O'Brien, [deputy chief of staff Chris] Liddell, and [deputy national security adviser Matt] Pottinger are thinking about resigning after today's events, we are told."

Trump banned Pence chief of staff Marc Short from the WH today, sources tell @JenniferJJacobs, me and… https://t.co/TRVu7ObZEs
— Saleha Mohsin (@Saleha Mohsin)1609985383.0

RealClearNews' White House reporter Philip Melanchthon Wegmann said that the move was because Trump reportedly blamed Short for advice he reportedly provided to Pence regarding the Electoral College certification.

In a late-night tweet, he wrote, "CONFIRMED: Short tells me he is not allowed back on White House grounds: 'He's blaming me for advice to VP.'"

Short himself has not publicly commented on the report at the time of this reporting.

CONFIRMED: Short tells me he is not allowed back on White House grounds: "He's blaming me for advice to VP." https://t.co/EnfYIidVMF
— Philip Melanchthon Wegmann (@Philip Melanchthon Wegmann)1609993873.0