If President Donald Trump’s administration was an artistic movement, it would probably be closer to abstract art—say, a hard-to-understand Jackson Pollock. But in very surreal, René Magritte fashion (think “this is not a pipe”), the administration sent an announcement labeled “NOT REPORTABLE” to disclose that Sarah Huckabee Sanders would not be giving a video-recorded press briefing on Thursday.
As Slate put it: The White House warned reporters not to report on… instructions about not reporting.
Tomorrow has a Sanders "gaggle," again with ground rules to not broadcast any of it. pic.twitter.com/XbO5thWIsX
— Jared Rizzi (@JaredRizzi) June 22, 2017
No camera or recording allowed tomorrow at White House briefing with spokeswoman Sarah Sanders, per advisory.
— Josh Dawsey (@jdawsey1) June 22, 2017
The White House is holding fewer on-camera press conferences these days despite their high ratings, and their helpful use as a vehicle for the free press. Of course, as an administration riddled with leaks and press scrutiny, it makes sense that they are trying to keep a lid on the most classified information like the president’s afternoon meeting with the International Olympic Committee. Or maybe it’s just an artistic choice?
H/T Slate