Q: 73 journalists calling “antithetical to concept of free press” A: Every event is different
Reporter: the White House Press Office, your office continues to pre-screen reporters allowed into large indoor events that formerly, under past presidents, were open to all journalists. Last June, almost a year ago, 73 journalists, including reporters from nearly two thirds of the seats in this room, signed a letter calling the process “antithetical to the concept of a free press.” And the Correspondent’s Association also has lobbied for it to be done away with. Last July, you said that ending the restrictions were a — was a priority, yet they remain. So I was wondering if you could commit to once and for all doing away with this mysterious pre-screening process.

KJP: No, I appreciate the question, Steven … Every event is different. But no matter what the venue setup, we always credential as many reporters in the room as possible. That’s what we tried to do here. I know you’ve been in many of those — of those events. I know you’ve had an opportunity to ask the President a question multiple times. And so, you can — you can speak to that for yourself as well as the opportunities that you’ve had to be in these events …

KJP: I’m going to — I’m going to —

Reporter: — there’s often so many empty seats? And are you going — are you still committed to rolling back this restriction and ending the pre-screening process?

KJP: There — but, here’s the thing: There is no — there is no restriction. Every event is different.

John Kirby Won’t Say If He’s “Optimistic” Biden Can Secure Release Of American Hostages Abroad
Reporter: Could you give us an update, John, on efforts to — that the United States is making to get Evan Gershkovich back and any other prisoners? There’s U.S. prisoners in Iran. There’s folks elsewhere that have been, you know, the potential subjects of potential prisoner swaps. Are any of those efforts coming to fruition or advancing in ways that make you all optimistic?

MR. KIRBY: All I can tell you, Michael, is that we’re working on all these cases …
Reporter: Are — is there anything that makes you optimistic on any of those cases at the moment?

MR. KIRBY: I would just say that we’re working each one very, very hard. I — I don’t know that I could stand here and give you a — you know, a grade level in terms of optimism.

Q: CEOs in China send a bad message? A: never been fiat by the White House can’t travel to China
Reporter: I want to ask you about the CEOs, again, that are over in China for the investment conference. We saw that — that cyberattack she’s talking about, the spy balloon that flew over. The Chinese have not implemented the intellectual property protections they said they were going to do under the phase one trade deal. So, this level of representation in China right now, does that send a bad message that there will be no repercussions no matter what China does?

MR. KIRBY: These CEOs really should be allowed to speak for themselves and for their — their travel. There’s never been some sort of fiat by the White House or the U.S. government that American business executives can’t travel to China and can’t … You also heard in Hiroshima — you were there — that these G7 leaders, they have concerns about unfair trade practices, employment practices, intellectual theft, and certainly the potential risks of outbound investments in China. And they came away from Hiroshima

Q: as long as it takes, Zelenskyy decision-making, why taxpayer resources given over to a foreign leader?
Reporter: When the American people hear you say and they hear the President say that the United States will support Ukraine in this conflict as long as it takes, and we further hear you and the President say that the decision-making — as to how long the conflict goes on, when negotiations will be entertained — are all left up to President Zelenskyy, why shouldn’t the American people conclude that critical decision-making about our national security, our taxpayer resources, our military are in fact being outsourced or utterly given over to a foreign leader instead of being made by our President?

MR. KIRBY: These decisions are being made by, certainly, the Commander-in-Chief, but with the full support from not only both houses of Congress but both parties up on Capitol Hill. There has been tremendous support for that. And I think the American people are smart enough to realize that — that if we just walk away from this and we just let Putin take Ukraine — which by the way, James, he hasn’t given up on as a strategic goal — then — then what’s next?

Q: What if debt ceiling bill comes to President next Tuesday, a day after the X-date?
Reporter: what happens if the debt ceiling bill comes to the President’s desk next Tuesday, a day after X-day

https://www.facebook.com/HygoNewsUSA/videos/803335137644375
Q: antithetical free press, so many empty seats! A: as many as possible, every event different