'These People Shouting Questions Are the Worst': New Report Says Trump Routinely Seeks to Punish Reporters - And His Aides Have Started Giving In
Media outlets objected this week when the White House barred a CNN reporter from attending a press event with President Donald Trump because she had earlier called out questions Trump didn't like at an Oval Office meeting.
And according to a new Washington Post report published Friday, Trump's urge to punish reporters is nothing new — what has changed is that his staffers are now giving in to his retaliatory urge.
"At various moments throughout his presidency, Trump has vented angrily to aides about what he considers disrespectful behavior and impertinent questions from reporters in the Oval Office and in other venues. He has also asked that retaliatory action be taken against them," the report said. "Until this week, the officials said, Trump’s senior aides have resisted carrying out his directives."
This suggests that the White House's relationship with the press corps is poised to worsen from its already dire state.
One of the most recent changes to the White House communications shop is the hiring of Bill Shine, the former president of Fox News who was accused of covering up sexual misconduct at the network. He serves as the deputy chief of staff. Shine, along with press secretary Sarah Sanders, told the CNN reporter not to come to the press event.
“These people shouting questions are the worst,” Trump once said, according to the report. “Why do we have them in here?”
One former White House official told the Post that Trump has previously complained about aggressive reporters, saying, "Is there nothing that we could do?”
