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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Trump's 'no questions' press conference in China slammed by former media staff | Trump's 'no questions' press conference in China slammed by former media staff |
| (17 days later) | |
| Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s refusal to take reporter questions at a press conference in China prompted former press aides to Republican and Democratic US presidents to slam the White House for an “embarrassing capitulation”. | Donald Trump and Xi Jinping’s refusal to take reporter questions at a press conference in China prompted former press aides to Republican and Democratic US presidents to slam the White House for an “embarrassing capitulation”. |
| Prominent journalists traveling with Trump and back in the US erupted at the gagging of press at a joint appearance by the US and Chinese leaders in Beijing on Thursday. | Prominent journalists traveling with Trump and back in the US erupted at the gagging of press at a joint appearance by the US and Chinese leaders in Beijing on Thursday. |
| And they quickly won support from former White House media relations staff, two sets of professionals who are traditionally more used to acting as sparring partners in public, not allies. | And they quickly won support from former White House media relations staff, two sets of professionals who are traditionally more used to acting as sparring partners in public, not allies. |
| “The Chinese try this every time. It’s a test of will and principle. Letting them dictate press access is an embarrassing capitulation,” Jay Carney, former press secretary to Barack Obama when he was president, posted on Twitter. | “The Chinese try this every time. It’s a test of will and principle. Letting them dictate press access is an embarrassing capitulation,” Jay Carney, former press secretary to Barack Obama when he was president, posted on Twitter. |
| Brad Dayspring, who arranged media facilities for George W Bush as his deputy director of press advance also criticized the White House’s decision. | Brad Dayspring, who arranged media facilities for George W Bush as his deputy director of press advance also criticized the White House’s decision. |
| “Weeks are spent negotiating every aspect of [president’s] foreign travel, including press access. China often attempts to pull back previously agreed-to access on day of events. It’s job of White House staff to push back on matters they prioritize. Acquiescence = bad negotiating or agreement with the Chinese,” he wrote on Twitter. | “Weeks are spent negotiating every aspect of [president’s] foreign travel, including press access. China often attempts to pull back previously agreed-to access on day of events. It’s job of White House staff to push back on matters they prioritize. Acquiescence = bad negotiating or agreement with the Chinese,” he wrote on Twitter. |
| Another former White House press aide, Gregg Pitts, who worked for George W Bush spoke of pushing back during a visit to China when the Chinese authorities had tried to limit access to the internet for journalists traveling with the US president and sought to silence any questions. | Another former White House press aide, Gregg Pitts, who worked for George W Bush spoke of pushing back during a visit to China when the Chinese authorities had tried to limit access to the internet for journalists traveling with the US president and sought to silence any questions. |
| He added: “I worked at the White House for President Bush. China regularly insisted on ‘no questions’ during our travel there. Our team fought for greater press access, including questions.” | He added: “I worked at the White House for President Bush. China regularly insisted on ‘no questions’ during our travel there. Our team fought for greater press access, including questions.” |
| The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, defended the decision. “It was at the Chinese insistence there were no questions today,” she said. | The White House press secretary, Sarah Sanders, defended the decision. “It was at the Chinese insistence there were no questions today,” she said. |
| Meanwhile, several journalists pointed out that despite the outrage, the situation was not unprecedented. | Meanwhile, several journalists pointed out that despite the outrage, the situation was not unprecedented. |
| During a joint press appearance by Barack Obama and the then president of China, Hu Jintao, in Beijing in 2009, the men would not take questions from the press, instead issuing a short statement following hours of high-level bilateral negotiations on subjects as pivotal as climate change and trade. | During a joint press appearance by Barack Obama and the then president of China, Hu Jintao, in Beijing in 2009, the men would not take questions from the press, instead issuing a short statement following hours of high-level bilateral negotiations on subjects as pivotal as climate change and trade. |