Former President Donald Trump was notorious for his persistent condemnation of media bias and its chase for unfounded narratives, such as the alleged Russian collusion, while disregarding any detrimental coverage of the Democrats. He even referred to the media as the “enemy of the people” due to perceived agenda-driven dishonesty.
This criticism was met with significant backlash from the left, with Trump being compared to a fascist dictator for his media critiques. Interestingly, Trump was recognized for his remarkable availability for media questioning, unlike many of his predecessors.
It begs the question of what Trump’s critics, who deemed his actions “fascist”, think about the recent developments in President Biden’s administration.
As July draws to a close, the White House is set to retire the “hard passes” for its Briefing Room. This change is followed by the introduction of new rules that might restrict access for journalists considered critical or “unfriendly” to the administration, thereby limiting their ability to question its policies.
Fred Lucas from The Daily Signal is among the journalists who stand to lose their credentials. Lucas, who has held a hard pass since 2009, will consequently face difficulties in attending press briefings. This anticipated loss of White House press credentials signals a significant step by Biden’s administration to regulate media access to what is frequently referred to as “the People’s House”.
The Daily Signal noted that following the expiry of all “hard passes” at the end of July, new rules will come into effect. “Lucas, a hard pass holder since 2009, will no longer be able to easily attend White House press briefings or access the expansive Pennsylvania Avenue campus, as he has for the past 14 years,” the report stated. These new rules, declared in May, curtail the number of journalists eligible for a White House hard pass and grant Biden’s press team broader authority to exclude journalists they disfavor.
According to The Daily Signal, future hard pass holders will need to acquire “accreditation from a press gallery within the U.S. Senate, U.S. House of Representatives, or Supreme Court”. It remains uncertain how many more journalists will be affected, although several who are known for their probing questions to the White House press secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, have expressed their concerns.
It’s thought-provoking to consider the reaction had this occurred under the Trump administration. Recall the public outcry when CNN’s Jim Acosta had his credentials withdrawn following an incident where he aggressively insisted on asking a question to a female White House aide. Arguably, the move by Biden’s administration is more serious, as it appears to shield Jean-Pierre, who has had a challenging tenure, from having to respond to difficult inquiries.
