'You're Being Incredibly Rude': Jean-Pierre Clashes With a Reporter Who Says She Shut Him Out for Nine Months (June 26, 2023)

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was in the middle of defending press freedom when a reporter accused her of shutting him out. “We certainly condemn any efforts of intimidation or harassment of a journalist or any journalist that is just trying to do their job. And so, I just want to —” Jean-Pierre said on June 26, 2023, according to the official White House transcript [1].

“So are you going to take questions from me?” a reporter interrupted. “Are you going to take questions from me because you’ve been discriminating against me for the past nine months.” [1]

The reporter was 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,” Fox News later reported [2].

The video above shows the exchange at the June 26, 2023, briefing. Quotes are from the official White House transcript and Fox News [1][2][3].

”You’re Being Incredibly Rude”

Other reporters told him to stop. “Please stop. How is she discriminating against you?” one said. “No, she — she called on you. She just gave you a few questions. I just need a question in nine months,” he answered [1].

Jean-Pierre moved on. “Go ahead, Aamer. Kick us off,” she said. Ateba kept going: ”— to do my job and ask my question.” [1]

“Okay. If this continues, we’re going to end the press briefing,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

“I’ve been in this briefing room. I’ve been trying to ask you one question when I am on,” Ateba said. “Simon, stop. Simon, stop,” a colleague said [1].

“If this continues — you’re being incredibly rude,” Jean-Pierre said. “You’re incredibly rude. You’re being incredibly rude.” [1]

”— you are not giving me freedom of the press,” Ateba said. “You’re talking over your colleagues,” she replied. “You are not applying it in this — in this briefing room,” he said [1].

”We’re Committed to the Freedom of the Press”

The flare-up came as Jean-Pierre was addressing the online abuse of another reporter. Earlier, a reporter had told John Kirby that “Sabrina Siddiqui of the Wall Street Journal, asked a question of the Prime Minister. And since that time, she has been subjected to some intense online harassment from people inside India.” [1]

“We’re aware of the reports of that harassment. It’s unacceptable. And we absolutely condemn any harassment of journalists anywhere under any circumstances,” Kirby said [1].

“It goes to Kelly O’s question about Sabrina and what she has been dealing with since Thursday,” Jean-Pierre said when she returned to it [1].

“Here, at the White House, under this administration, we’re committed to the freedom of the press, which is — which is why we had the press conference last week,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

”A $400 Billion Cost”

In the middle of the shouting, the reporter she had called on got a question in. “When President Biden forgave student debt, the administration booked a $400 billion cost that added to the deficit at the end of last fiscal year. How does the administra- — administration plan to look at this issue, given the pending Court decision?” [1]

“So, look, I’m not going to get ahead of the ruling. Right? We — we are — we’re — we are very confident that we are — that the law is on our side here,” Jean-Pierre answered [1].

“We are confident in our legal authority, as we’ve said over and over again. And as you all know, and I think I’ve said this before, the Soli- — Solicitor General made a compelling argument before the Court, so we’re certainly not going to get ahead of this decision,” she said [1].

Then she pivoted to the deficit. “We’ve seen that in a record number, $1.7 trillion, and in the first two years,” she said [1]. “And in the budget negotiation that you all covered and saw, one of the things that he made sure is that that budget negotiation lowered the deficit by another trillion dollars.” [1]

Four days later, on June 30, 2023, the Supreme Court struck down the plan in Biden v. Nebraska [3]. For that ruling, see HYGO News’ page on June 30, 2023.

By the Numbers

• 9 months: how long Ateba said he had gone without a question [1].
• $400 billion: the student-debt cost a reporter said was booked to the deficit [1].
• 4: days until the Supreme Court ruled on the plan [3].

What Happened Next

The White House threatened his pass. “The White House threatened Ateba earlier this year with the revocation of his press privileges after a viral heated clash between him and Jean-Pierre during the June 26 press briefing when he criticized her for not allowing him to ask any questions,” Fox News reported in November 2023 [2].

Then she walked out. On Nov. 30, 2023, Ateba pressed again. “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,” he said. “OK, we can end this briefing right now,” Jean-Pierre said, and she then “picked up her notes and walked away from the podium,” Fox reported [2].

For Jean-Pierre ending a briefing after Ateba demanded an Africa summit question in 2022, see the page on Dec. 8, 2022. For the same briefing’s “Bidenomics” exchange, see the page on June 26, 2023.

Sources

1. The White House (archived): Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby (June 26, 2023)
2. Fox News: WATCH: Karine Jean-Pierre storms out of White House press briefing when pressed by African reporter (November 30, 2023)
3. Supreme Court of the United States: Biden v. Nebraska, No. 22-506 (June 30, 2023)