CNN’s Jake Tapper has been critical of the new administration on The Lead in recent weeks, and he delivered what may have been his most forceful attack on the administration to-date. In light of the White House’s decision to ban select news outlets from today’s off-camera briefing, including CNN, New York Times, Politico, the LA Times and the BBC, Tapper went hard at the administration today during the program’s ‘Politics Lead.’
He ripped the White House for “having difficulty telling the truth, and having trouble getting up to speed on the basic competent functioning of government.” Tapper went after Pres. Trump as well, saying “this is a president who is averse to any criticism, and he has called the press ‘the enemies of the American people.'”
“This is a White House that is taking the next step in attempting to avoid checks and balances and accountability. It’s not acceptable. In fact, it’s petulant, and indicative of a lack of understanding of how an adult White House functions,” said Tapper.
The host of The Lead then went to a graphic showing a Sean Spicer quote from back in December, which seemingly contradicts the press secretary’s actions today:
Tapper accused the administration for using rhetoric “designed to mislead or confuse you,” and then concluded his two-minute statement on the matter with the following:
“This White House does not seem to respect the idea of accountability, and it does not value an independent press.”
“There is a word for that line of thinking,” Tapper said. “The word is: Un-American.”
.@jaketapper: “The White House does not value an independent press. There is a word for that: Un-American.” https://t.co/iq7Ka3PPFd pic.twitter.com/GQLPAzRgMw
— The Lead CNN (@TheLeadCNN) February 24, 2017