Former White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany said it was confounding that the White House announced President Biden's first formal press conference only nine days in advance [1].
The criticism highlights ongoing tensions between the current administration and press officials regarding transparency and the accessibility of the president to the media.
McEnany said the timing of the announcement on Wednesday, noting that the event was scheduled more than 50 days after the inauguration [1]. She said that the short notice period for the event was unusual for a formal press engagement of this nature.
"It is confounding that the White House announced President Biden's press conference nine days in advance," McEnany said [1].
The former press secretary said that the administration's approach to media relations deviates from established norms. She said the timing and the delay since the start of the term as a reflection of the administration's management style.
"It is incredible what the Biden White House is able to get away with," McEnany said [1].
The announcement came as the administration faced questions about when the president would hold a full, formal press conference to address the public and the press corps directly. The nine-day window [1] provided by the White House served as the primary point of contention for McEnany, who pointed to the duration of the vacancy in such formal briefings since the inauguration.
“"It is confounding that the White House announced President Biden's press conference nine days in advance."”
The dispute over the announcement window reflects a broader debate on the standards of presidential communication. By criticizing the nine-day notice and the 50-day gap since the inauguration, McEnany is framing the administration's media strategy as restrictive compared to previous norms of executive transparency.
