CNN’s senior White House correspondent Jim Acosta has engaged in his fair share of battles with the Trump administration over the first six months, far more than any other member of the White House press corps.
In recent days, the veteran DC journalist has become increasingly irritated by what he believes is a severe lack of transparency coming from Sean Spicer and this White House, recently comparing covering the administration to “Bad reality TV.”
Acosta is off today, but his absence isn’t stopping him from criticizing the administration via Twitter, including the communications team’s decision to once again disallow cameras from showing the briefing. Ironically it’s Sarah Huckabee Sanders, not Spicer, who will hold today’s briefing.
What would the GOP say if Hillary Clinton were to shut down the cameras in the briefing room? And the media went along with it? https://t.co/c0gKy03tod
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017
The United States of America should respect the freedom of the press. You know that freedom? It’s in the constitution of the USA ?????? https://t.co/QKGB63WoRj
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017
The reason why is that YOUR government doesn’t want YOU to see and hear what they’re doing. In the United States of America. ?????? https://t.co/34qGRYjXUe
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017
Sure we do “pen and pad” gaggles all the time with various officials. This is different. It’s a briefing without the cameras. Why is that? https://t.co/N46FgBtVbr
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017
The WH is holding what is essentially a normal briefing in the briefing room but they aren’t allowing cameras to record what’s being said. https://t.co/GaOihp44jj
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017
I’m off today but it must be said that YOUR White House is taking away YOUR right to see and hear YOUR government answer questions today
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 22, 2017
The Tuesday, June 20th briefing was on-camera, and Spicer did not call on Acosta.
CNN’s Jim @acosta tries to jump in ask Spicer. “Didn’t the president say that Russia was fake news?” Spicer doesn’t acknowledge.
— TVNewser (@tvnewser) June 20, 2017
Here are Acosta’s observations from Monday’s briefing, which was also held off-camera and with audio banned.
The Spicer off-camera/no audio gaggle has begun. I can’t show you a pic of Sean. So here is a look at some new socks I bought over the wknd pic.twitter.com/wO9erspwYa
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 19, 2017
Acosta’s tweets would become a bit fiercer in tone, particularly after Spicer decided not to call on him at the briefing.
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
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 19, 2017
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.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 19, 2017
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.
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 19, 2017