At today's WH and State Dept press briefings, reporters pressed for evidence to back up U.S. gov't statements about recent events in Syria and Russia, respectively. In response, officials suggested those reporters might be more inclined to believe ISIS/the Kremlin. Yikes. 1/x
Aboard AF1, a reporter asked WH press secretary Jen Psaki for evidence to back up the claim that Qurayshi denotated a suicide bomb.
Psaki asked whether skeptics think the U.S. military is "not providing accurate information and ISIS is providing accurate information." 2/x
Psaki asked whether skeptics think the U.S. military is "not providing accurate information and ISIS is providing accurate information." 2/x
The reporter did not back down:
"But I mean, the U.S. has not always been straightforward about what happens with civilians," she said. "And I mean, that is a fact." 3/x
"But I mean, the U.S. has not always been straightforward about what happens with civilians," she said. "And I mean, that is a fact." 3/x
Then, at the State Department, spokesman Ned Price was repeatedly asked for evidence of the U.S. government's claim that Russia plans to create a "false flag" propaganda video as a pretext for invading Ukraine. 4/x
Price responded: "If you doubt the credibility of the U.S. government, of the British government, of other governments and want to, you know, find solace in information that the Russians are putting out, that is for you to do." 5/x
It's the job of reporters to ask for proof to back up government statements. Doing so does not mean one believes propaganda put out by U.S. adversaries. I imagine these officials know that. Are they simply throwing out these accusations in an effort to deter further Qs? 6/6
The reporters in question were NPR White House correspondent @ayesharascoe and AP Diplomatic Writer Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter).
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