Journalists are criticizing Secretary of State Rex Tillerson for comments he made during an interview in which he suggested it’s unnecessary for him to be readily accessible to the news media, even when engaging in major international diplomacy.
“I’m not a big media press access person. I personally don’t need it,” Tillerson told a reporter for the news website Independent Journal Review. “I understand it’s important to get the message of what we’re doing out, but I also think there’s only a purpose in getting the message out when there’s something to be done.”
The transcript for the interview was published Saturday, amid Tillerson’s diplomacy trip to Asia, for which he only allowed the one reporter to travel aboard his aircraft instead of a fuller press pool.
Tillerson’s comments struck some journalists as a lack of understanding that part of reason for media traveling with top government officials, like the secretary of state, is to report on what they are doing and not simply to carry their message.
“By the sound of this interview, Tillerson does not understand the functions of the State Department press corps,” CNN media reporter Brian Stelter said on Twitter.
By the sound of this interview, Tillerson does not understand the functions of the State Department press corps. https://t.co/SyHBsG3t08
— Brian Stelter (@brianstelter) March 18, 2017
Reacting to Tillerson’s comments, Washington Post politics blogger Chris Cillizza said, “Well, this is terrible.”
Well this is terrible https://t.co/SmzLCg3dax
— Chris Cillizza (@CillizzaCNN) March 18, 2017
Scott Trubey, a reporter for the Atlanta Journal Constitution said Tillerson’s views seem “wrongheaded.”
New York Times White House reporter Glenn Thrush said, “In general, this group (President Trump’s team) has trouble getting idea of ‘public’ service.”
Tillerson on media: ‘I personally don’t need it.’ In general this group has trouble getting idea of ‘public’ service https://t.co/3lTBCd4ExR
— Glenn Thrush (@GlennThrush) March 18, 2017
