The Associated Press has aired its grievances with President Biden's administration after reporters were accused of being 'disloyal' for asking probing questions.
During several encounters last week, when the administration was asked for evidence to back up dramatic claims about national security developments, it simply retorted: 'You'll have to trust us on that.'
The Biden administration appears to be becoming more hostile and wary of reporters that in the past were 'friendly' toward Democratic administrations.
Last week, U.S. State Department spokesperson Ned Price sparred with an AP reporter at a State Department briefing after U.S. officials said Russia was preparing a 'false flag' operation as the opening act for an invasion of Ukraine. The alleged scheme included a staged explosion and enlisting actors to portray people mourning the dead.
'You say that they have taken but you have shown no evidence to confirm that and I'm gonna get to the next question here, which is, what is the evidence that they plan ... I mean, this is like crisis actors? Really?' asked Matthew Lee of The Associated Press.
'This is like Alex Jones territory you're getting into there,' he said referring to a well-known conspiracy theorist.
'What evidence do you have to support the idea that there is some propaganda film in the making?'
Price said it was intelligence that had been declassified in order to share it publicly.
'Where is the declassified information?' asked Lee of The AP.
'I just delivered it,' Price said.
'No, you made a series of allegations,' Lee responded.
'I would like to see some proof that … shows that the Russians are doing that,' Lee said.
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