White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre angrily stormed out of Thursday’s press briefing after being pressed by an African reporter on why he wasn’t being called on to ask a question. The clash marks the latest run-in between Jean-Pierre and Simon Ateba of Today News Africa, who accused the White House in June of discrimination for not allowing him to ask any questions during the briefings.
During the briefing, Ateba asked National Security Council spokesman John Kirby if he could ask a follow-up question on Angola, following his previous question on a different topic. However, Jean-Pierre ignored Ateba and called on another reporter. This prompted Ateba to express his disappointment, stating, “It is so surprising that you don’t take — you are receiving an African leader, but you can’t take a question from an African journalist.”
In response, Jean-Pierre threatened to end the briefing, saying, “OK, we can end this briefing right now.” As Ateba continued to voice his frustration, Jean-Pierre abruptly walked away from the podium, visibly angry. The incident caused a brief disruption, with other reporters attempting to ask questions as Jean-Pierre made her exit.
This is not the first clash between Jean-Pierre and Ateba. Earlier this year, Ateba criticized Jean-Pierre for not allowing him to ask questions during a press briefing. The heated exchange resulted in Jean-Pierre accusing Ateba of being rude and threatening to end the briefing if he continued to interrupt.
The White House had previously threatened to revoke Ateba’s press privileges following the June incident. In a letter addressed to Ateba, Jean-Pierre’s office expressed disappointment with his behavior and interruption.
This latest clash raises questions about the White House’s commitment to inclusivity and press freedom. Critics argue that by ignoring an African journalist during the visit of an African leader, the White House is sending a concerning message. The incident also highlights ongoing tensions between the press and the White House, as well as the challenges faced by journalists in accessing important information.
It remains to be seen how this incident will be addressed by the White House and what steps will be taken to ensure fair and equitable treatment of journalists from all backgrounds in future press briefings.
