The Washington Post is fed up with President Joe Biden’s lack of press conferences.
"As he runs for a second term, he should be eager to show he can handle all aspects of the job," the Post's editorial board wrote Monday in a piece that called Biden's rare press availability "not acceptable." "Pick up the microphone, Mr. President. The media is not your enemy."
The Post's rebuke of the president comes as Biden has held a record low number of press conferences, including zero solo conferences this year. The only two he’s held were joint sessions with world leaders. The Post editorial board said "it should not take a visit" from a foreign leader for Biden to take questions.
On Monday, the White House barred the New York Post from a rare press event featuring the president. "We are unable to accommodate your credential request to attend the Investing in Airline Accountability Remarks on 5/8," the White House press office told the outlet, though footage showed plenty of open chairs at the event.
Last week, Biden told the press he’d hold a "major" press conference but was quickly corrected by his team, who said he was instead appearing in an MSNBC interview.
The criticism of Biden is a change of pace for the media over the past two years. Outlets have played softball with the president, even facing accusations of submitting questions in advance. But there is growing frustration among the press corps over the administration's lack of transparency. Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre claimed last month that the president takes an "unprecedented" number of questions—reporters yelled "no" in response.