White House Correspondents’ Association President Jonathan Karl rebuked the White House for changing the seating at President Trump’s press conference in a manner that did not allow for social distancing.
President Trump made an appearance in the Rose Garden on Friday following a surprisingly positive May jobs report, and while the chairs for reporters were initially spread apart to adhere to social distancing policies to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which has been the norm for months, the White House moved them closer together prior to the event’s start.
“Today the White House press office positioned seating for the President’s Rose Garden ‘news conference’ in a way that violated the federal government’s guidelines on social distancing and needlessly put reporters health at risk,” Karl said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. “The chairs were initially positioned in a way that was consistent with social distancing guidelines but were moved closer together by White House staff shortly before the event started.”
He added, “When we asked for an explanation, the White House press office told us the decision to move the chairs close together was made because ‘It looks better.’ The health of the press corps should not be put in jeopardy because the White House wants reporters to be a prop for a ‘news conference’ where the president refused to answer any questions.”
Other reporters in the press corps also made note of the change, including CNN’S Jim Acosta.
The news conference was initially set up for social distancing. Then the WH rearranged the chairs. Before and after pics from our @abdallahcnn pic.twitter.com/jxKAneAZsy
— Jim Acosta (@Acosta) June 5, 2020
White House spokesman Judd Deere took credit for the seating change.
“It was my decision,” Deere told the Washington Examiner. “It looks better. I would remind you that those in the pool are tested, everyone is temperature checked and asked if they have had symptoms.”
The president, in a short tangent during the press conference, praised the press corps for sitting closer together.
“Even you, I notice you’re starting to get much closer together. Looks much better, I must say. You’re not all the way there yet, but you’ll be there soon,” he said.
Trump also signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act at the event.
