White House and press corps clash over Biden access before Ireland trip

The relationship between President Joe Biden and the press has been shaky. Journalists who are traveling with Biden to the United Kingdom and Ireland for the 25th anniversary of the Good Friday peace agreement and other engagements have been protesting against the lack of access to the president during the trip.

Despite this, the White House is standing its ground and maintaining Biden’s schedule, which has been successful, as his communication team did during his 2020 campaign, by being selective with his interviews and public events.

Democratic strategist and former Obama administration member, Eric Schultz, stated that reporters will always request more access, but questioned its purpose. Schultz suggested reporters to broaden the metrics used to gauge an administration’s responsiveness to the press, in light of the President Trump’s controversial news conferences.

However, it has been approximately 148 days since Biden’s last press conference, and he has participated in fewer conferences than the last five presidents. His last stand-alone press conference was last year’s midterm elections.

Despite this, Biden did give two brief interviews this week to NBC Today’s weathercaster Al Roker, and Comedy Central last month. His last print publication interview was with the Associated Press last summer.

The White House’s tactics are similar to Biden’s 2020 campaign, which was severely curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Aides, however, contend that Biden has answered more than 320 shouted questions, excluding those asked during press conferences and interviews, since taking office.

Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was pummeled this week with questions about the omission of a press conference from Biden’s itinerary, but responded by saying that the President has taken questions from the press before and will continue to do so.

The Republican National Committee has repeatedly criticized the White House’s approach and tracking Biden’s press conferences and interviews, and has accused the president of failing to be transparent, open and honest.