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Byron Tau Questions Earnest on White House Striking Question From Transcript

June 6, 2016

The Wall Street Journal's Byron Tau pressed White House spokesman Josh Earnest on Monday on why a section of the May 9 transcript was stricken from the record and if there were plans to restore it.

"What I think what was true at the time was there was a little bit of cross-talk and fortunately your conscientious colleagues at ABC News recognizing the discrepancy asked me about it the next day," Earnest said.

Tau recalled that he was in the briefing room that day and that the question asked by Fox News' Kevin Corke was perfectly clear.

"Can you state categorically that no senior official in this administration has ever lied publicly about any aspect of the Iran nuclear deal?" Corke asked.

"No, Kevin," Earnest said.

ABC News reports that the words "No, Kevin" failed to make it into the official transcript. The transcript picks up the remainder of Earnest's answer that the Iran nuclear deal has made America safer.

Tau pointed out that the White House now joins the State Department in striking questions from the public record. Earnest shot back that it was not fair for Tau to make that assumption. Both questions were from Fox News reporters and related to Iran nuclear deal.

"I don't think it's fair for you to say that they were scratched," Earnest said. "I don't think that's accurate."

Earnest said that what the State Department did was intentional and the situation with the White House was a "specific issue that relates to two words."

The video from the press briefing is available on the White House's website and YouTube page.

A White House official told ABC that they "would only change the answer if there was an answer to change."