Soon after, CBS News correspondent Ed O’Keefe blasted Jean-Pierre for withholding information about the doctor’s appointment at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.
“Karine, you’re not answering the question. This is a very basic and direct question,” he said.
Jean-Pierre seemed surprised by O’Keeffe’s tone and asked her to “show some respect.”
Monday’s press conference symbolized a widening rift between the White House and the reporters who cover it, who have long complained about not having as much access to the president as they would like, with Biden giving fewer interviews and holding fewer news conferences than his predecessors.
Following Biden’s shaky performance in the June 27 debate with President Donald Trump, Jean-Pierre has faced tough questioning and strong backlash from journalists for changing the public narrative about the president’s health and treatment.
“There’s very little trust right now and it’s really frustrating,” said one reporter, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to be candid. “I think everyone is angry. It’s been three and a half years of pressure and being shut out and finally the lid has come off.”
During Monday’s briefing, reporters grew frustrated that Jean-Pierre would not explain why a Parkinson’s disease expert had met multiple times with the White House physician, according to the publicly released transcript.
The White House clarified that night that Dr. Kevin Canard had simply performed a neurological exam as part of the president’s annual physical, after Jean-Pierre initially told reporters he could not identify the specific doctor. At a press conference that day, Jean-Pierre clarified that he had been wrong to suggest that the doctor’s appointment on January 17 was unrelated to Biden.
“Unless the White House answers this question, you’ve prolonged this issue, Karine,” O’Keefe said after a White House spokesman declined to name the doctor, citing privacy. “We’re a little upset that information about him was shared with the press.”
“I’m not going to [share] “That doesn’t matter,” Jean-Pierre retorted, “…it doesn’t matter how much you push me or how angry you are at me.”
Monday’s clash reminded some reporters of the Trump administration, when tensions were rife between reporters and press secretaries like Sean Spicer, Sarah Huckabee Sanders and Kayleigh McEnany, all of whom seemed to enjoy clashing with members of the media.
“It was the most Trump-like press conference since Trump left office,” the anonymous reporter added.
On June 27, reporters began bombarding Mr. Biden as soon as he left the debate stage. But at a press conference the following Tuesday, the questions became more intense and direct when one of the White House press corps chiefs, NBC News’ Kelly O’Donnell, asked Mr. Jean-Pierre, “Have you ever asked anyone at the White House a question about Mr. Biden?” [is] “They are concealing information about the president’s health and his ability to perform his day-to-day duties.”
Another reporter asked Jean-Pierre, “Are you being honest with the American people about this?”
That day, and in subsequent briefings Jean-Pierre then largely refused reporters’ requests for more information about Biden’s health beyond what had already been released.
“My sense is this is the most secretive, insular presidency I’ve ever covered,” Salon reporter Brian Karem said. “The way they’ve done their jobs clearly shows that public access to the press and to the president is not a priority. And that’s wrong.”
Jean-Pierre also faced backlash for giving mixed reviews of Biden’s recent medical history. He initially told reporters that Biden hadn’t been tested since February, before clarifying that the president had had brief verbal “check-ups” with doctors, including after the debate.
“I didn’t mean to mislead anyone,” she said Monday.
Jean-Pierre has always said at briefings that the questions about Biden’s age and health were legitimate, and during Monday’s session he acknowledged he made mistakes.
“I’ll be the first to admit, I make mistakes sometimes,” she said. “At least I’ll admit that.”
The White House responded to the criticism by defending Jean-Pierre’s performance while insisting that the Biden administration has been transparent and accessible to the media, with officials highlighting the number of overall interactions the president has had with the media, including more informal “meetings.”
“She answers tough questions every day with care and represents President Biden and his policies to the American people with grace and integrity,” deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told The Washington Post on Wednesday.
He added: “Reporters have an important role to play in seeking more information, so we are careful to listen to them. Joe Biden has always said it’s natural for reporters to ask him about his age, and he has always been confident in communicating his values and policies to the American people.”
Will Sommer contributed to this report.
