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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Biden needs first lady's help with question about Gaza hospitals, then State Department steps in to say what he won't



President Joe Biden implicitly criticized Israel from the Oval Office on Monday — with an assist from first lady Jill Biden — only for the State Department to speak definitively about Hamas' use of Gaza hospitals for operational command posts.

After a signing event in the presidential office, NBC News correspondent Kelly O'Donnell asked Biden about the intensifying ground war in Gaza and the focus on hospitals. Israel's critics accuse the IDF of striking hospitals, but Israel says Hamas uses them for military purposes, which top U.S. officials have confirmed.

"Have you urged Israel to take any specific action on the hospitals in Gaza?" O'Donnell asked Biden.

Biden, however, did not immediately answer the question. Instead, he appeared confused and looked around the room until Jill reminded him of O'Donnell's question.

"The hospital in Gaza, Kelly was asking," the first lady told the president, prompting O'Donnell to restate her inquiry.

"The hospitals in Gaza — have you expressed any specific concerns to Israel on that, sir?" the reporter asked.

In response, Biden suggested that Israel is attacking the hospitals, stating that he hopes Israel begins to take "less intrusive action" — whatever that means.

"Well, you know I have not been reluctant in expressing my concerns what's going on. And it is my hope and expectation that there will be less intrusive action relative to the hospital," he said.

— (@)

State Department spokesman Matthew Miller also addressed the hospital situation on Monday, speaking with truth and clarity.

After noting that hospitals "should be protected" because they are civilian infrastructure, Miller acknowledged the truth about the situation on the ground in Gaza: Hamas hides behind and under civilian infrastructure.

"Hospitals are legitimate civilian infrastructure; they should be protected. At the same time, I would say Hamas continues to use hospitals as locations for its command posts," Miller said.

"We don't want to see civilians caught in the crossfire. We would love to see Hamas vacate the hospitals that it's using as command posts immediately. We would love to see all the people that are calling for Israel to take steps to protect hospitals call for Hamas to vacate the hospitals and stop using civilians as human shields. We would love to see Hamas take some of the fuel reserves it's sitting on and use that to supply hospitals in northern Gaza. We would love to see Hamas have taken the fuel that Israel offered it yesterday – that [Hamas] declined – for use at Al-Shifa Hospital," Miller mic-dropped.

— (@)

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Pile-on ensues after journalist offers 'clear sign' that Trump 'is not president anymore'



NBC News senior White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell, who is also president of the White House Correspondents' Association, earned ridicule on social media for sharing a post in which she shared a "clear sign" that former President Donald Trump is no longer president of the United States.

"A clear sign he is not president anymore. Despite all the motorcades and perks, his plane has to wait to taxi. Air Force One gets immediate clearance," O'Donnell wrote when sharing a photo of what appears to be Trump's aircraft and another plane.

— (@)

The post has amassed more than 4 million views so far, and many people have responded with ridicule.

"A clear sign Kelly O'Donnell is a totally unserious journalist," Jason Rantz wrote.

"At long last. A clear sign. The closure I needed," Eddie Scarry replied.

"I guess Kelly was a QAnon loon who thought he WAS still President," Sebastian Gorka wrote, adding the hashtag, "#JustAnotherHack."

"Congratulations on breaking the biggest story of your career," someone else mocked.

Others suggested that high gas prices are a signal that Trump is no longer in office.

"Another sign that Trump isn't president anymore: these gas prices," tweeted Charles Correll III, speechwriter for House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.).

"Gas prices are the clearest sign Trump is not president anymore," someone else wrote.

"The clearest sign he isn't President is the current economy, war in Ukraine, high inflation, energy dependence, open borders with mass migration and a country that is in decline while the politicians get richer, the lobbyists steer policy and the good people of this country bear the cost," another person wrote.

"The replies to this post are spectacular," Megyn Kelly opined.

"You see what journalism has become. This person is meant to lead other journalists to hold @JoeBiden to account! The replies to the post are brutal," tweeted, Simon Ateba, chief White House correspondent at Today News Africa in Washington.

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New details reveal White House cocaine was found in 'much more secure' area where 'normal people' can't go



The cocaine discovered at the White House was reportedly found in a "much more secure" area than previously reported.

When news of the discovery first broke, reports indicated the cocaine had been found in the White House library on the ground floor. Then, it was reported that it was discovered in the West Wing lobby, specifically a locker area where staffers and guests stow personal belongings.

But NBC News reported Thursday the cocaine was found near the West Executive entrance, which MSNBC anchor Andrea Mitchell said is a "much more secure place" not accessible to "normal people."

"It was found, by my observation, in a much more secure place — limited-access place, in that West Wing reception area," Mitchell explained. "It's still a frequently traveled place, but it's down near the Situation Room, right off Executive Drive, down below. And, normal people, average people just can’t get in there even with the entry for the northwest gate."

NBC News correspondent Kelly O'Donnell explained the area is also "where, for example, the vice president's vehicle is parked."

"The fact that it's close to the Situation Room is certainly notable," O'Donnell emphasized. "We had earlier been told that it was one level above, in, also a lobby area in the West Wing, closer to where the Oval Office is. This is down below."

White House shares new details on location where cocaine was found www.youtube.com

Meanwhile, O'Donnell reported the Secret Service investigation, which includes forensics, may be concluded by as early as Monday.

She also relayed that sources are cautioning as to whether the individual responsible for the cocaine will ever be found.

That assertion, which has been repeated for two days, strains credulity, because the White House is one of the most secured buildings in the world. No one enters the White House without the Secret Service knowing. Thus, reverse-engineering who traversed through the area where the cocaine was found — a basic investigative tactic — certainly would not be on the Secret Service's list of difficult tasks.

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Kent Nishimura/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images

‘They gave me a list’: Biden says out loud ‘the first person I was instructed to call on’ before fielding questions

'they gave me a list here'

Biden lashes out at female reporter for asking basic question, but not on the topic he wanted: 'You are such a pain in the neck'



President Joe Biden lashed out at a female reporter Monday over a basic question about whether the Department of Veterans Affairs will require its staff to get vaccinated against COVID-19.

What happened?

While meeting with Iraqi Prime Minister Mustafa al-Kadhimi in the Oval Office, Biden demanded that reporters ask questions only related to the withdrawal of American troops from combat in Iraq, which Biden announced Monday.

However, NBC News reporter Kelly O'Donnell skirted that demand — and Biden chided her in front of everyone.

"Mr. President, Veterans Affairs is going to have a mandate for its health care—" O'Donnell asked before Biden interrupted her.

"You are such a pain in the neck, but I'm going to answer your question because we've known each other so long. It has nothing to do with Iraq," Biden interrupted, rebuking the question. "Yes, Veteran Affairs is going to, in fact, require that all doctors working in their facilities are gonna have to be vaccinated."

"You are such a pain in the neck, but I'm going to answer your question," President Biden said to a reporter while… https://t.co/mvdLLmGceU

— Mediaite (@Mediaite) 1627325203.0

O'Donnell was recently elected president of the White House Correspondents' Association, so she is well-respected among her peers.

What was the reaction?

Journalists quickly noted that Biden's biting response to O'Donnell is not the first time he has publicly chided a prominent female reporter.

Glenn Greenwald, for example, highlighted an incident last month in which Biden rebuked CNN's Kaitlan Collins, who questioned Biden about Russian President Vladimir Putin following a meeting between the two.

"Why are you so confident he'll change his behavior, Mr. President?" Collins asked, referring to Putin.

"I'm not confident he'll change his behavior...where the hell— what do you do all the time?" Biden screamed. "When did I say I was confident?"

When Collins questioned how Biden could describe his meeting with Putin as "constructive," considering Putin refuses to acknowledge human rights abuses or cyberattacks against the U.S., Biden chided again, "If you don't understand that, you are in the wrong business."

'What the hell': Biden snaps at CNN reporter www.youtube.com

"A President inciting violence against journalists with language like this is never acceptable. And one can't help but notice that this is the second time Biden has lashed out so insultingly and aggressively against a woman doing her job as a reporter," Greenwald said. "In journalism we call this a 'pattern.'"

Others noted that former President Donald Trump was literally accused of subverting democracy when he criticized media.

"[W]hy is Biden attacking our democracy?" Siraj Hashmi mocked.

"We must not allow this attack on a free press….does Joe Biden not know the sacrifices these people make every day?!?" Richard Grenell said.

‘You Are Such A Pain In The Neck,’ Biden Says To NBC News Reporter

'you are such a pain in the neck'