White House clashes with journalists over 'inflammatory' accusations of 'fake news'

A reporter accused the White House of misleading the American people by slamming the media's coverage

The White House press office and reporters tasked with covering the President have once again broken out in heated arguments and shouting during the daily press briefing.

Early during questioning, White House Deputy Press Secretary was asked by a Brietbart News reporter about tweets from the President overnight calling out a CNN report that had to be retracted following concerns that it had not gone through regular editorial processes. Following standard practice for media organisations that identify a false or concerning story, CNN had issued a retraction to be transparent on its mistake.

The reporter asked: "Does the White House not believe that CNN’s response was good enough?"

“I don’t know if it’s that the response isn’t good enough for the President. I think it’s the constant barrage of fake news at this President”, Ms Huckabee Sanders replied. “The outlet you’ve referenced has been repeatedly wrong, and that has had to be pointed out and corrected”.

Ms Huckabee Sanders continued to accuse the news media of forgoing coverage of other issues the White House is involved in — in particular, recent efforts to introduce more robotics care options into the Department of Veteran Affairs treatment arsenal, as well has healthcare repeal efforts — saying that reporters have instead placed an outsized focus on the Russia probe into potential collusion between Donald Trump campaign officials and the Russian government.

“Does this President actually expect us not to report on stories of foreign countries trying to impact our elections," asked Charlie Spiering, Breitbart’s White House Correspondent.

Ms Huckabee Sanders insisted that the news needed to be honest and accurate, before another reporter in the room cut her off.

“You’re implying to everybody right here, right now in those words” that we’re lying, Brian Karem, with the Sentinel Newspapers, said, heatedly. “Why in the name of heavens — every one of us , we’re replaceable. And any one of us, if we don’t get it right, the audience the audience has the opportunity to turn the channel or not read us".

“You have been elected to serve for four years at least, there’s no option other than that. We’re here to ask you questions and you’re here to provide answers, and what you just did is inflammatory to people all over the country who looks at it and says, ‘see look again the president’s right and everybody else is fake news”, he continued, “and everybody in this room is trying to do our job”.

Ms Huckabee Sanders responded calmly to the outburst accusing her of giving inflammatory statements, noting that she disagree with the assessment of the circumstances.

“If anything has been inflamed, it is the dishonesty with the news media," she said. “I think it’s outrageous for you to accuse me of inflaming a story when I’ just trying to answer the question”.

They then moved on to questions on health care.