CNN’s Jim Acosta goes off on Donald Trump and Sean Spicer after farcical press briefing
Today the Donald Trump administration held its most farcical press briefing to date, in which reporters were not allowed to make audio or video recordings of anything the administration had to say. It was a sign of just how thoroughly the Trump White House is panicking amid scandals that are turning into crises. It was also enough to prompt CNN Senior White House Correspondent Jim Acosta to rip into Donald Trump and his administration – particularly after Sean Spicer still wouldn’t answer questions.
Jim Acosta laid out the following in a series of Tweets (link): “Spicer still can’t say whether POTUS believes in climate change. At off camera no audio briefing, Spicer took a question from a Russian reporter but not from CNN. Make no mistake about what we are all witnessing. This is a WH that is stonewalling the news media. Hiding behind no camera/no audio gaggles. There is a suppression of information going on at this WH that would not be tolerated at a city council mtg or press conf with a state gov.” But it turns out he was just getting started.
CNN’s Acosta continued (link): “Call me old fashioned but I think the White House of the United States of America should have the backbone to answer questions on camera. He then confirmed that Spicer took no questions from Politico or the Washington Post, in addition to taking no questions from CNN. Radio host April Ryan then pointed out that she can’t do her show properly without an audio recording of the press briefing.
Jim Acosta then revealed that Spicer isn’t long for this briefing room one way or the other (link): “Sean Spicer may move into a different role in West Wing, a shift that would make room for new WH Press Secretary, we’ve confirmed.” No word yet on who will be the next Trump press secretary who refuses to answer questions.
