President Joe Biden told a reporter to “hush up” at a press conference with Ukrainian President Zelenskyy, where he announced that he had signed another $200 million in funds from the Department of Defense for Ukraine.
Joe Biden tells reporters at the White House to “hush up”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) December 12, 2023
The announcement came as Biden held a stack of papers, and after the noise from reporters died down, he made the declaration.
The aid to Ukraine, according to an official, will be taken from Pentagon stockpiles and will include additional ammunition for the High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS), high-speed anti-radiation missiles, anti-armor systems, artillery rounds, missiles, demolition munitions, four million rounds of small arms ammunition, generators, and other equipment and spare parts.
As Biden faced the press, questions resumed, and the interaction sparked criticism for his dismissive attitude toward the media, adding to a pattern of similar behavior throughout his presidency.
Biden has a history of ignoring or berating reporters, and this latest incident is just one example. In 2021, during a press conference, he told CNN’s Kaitlan Collins that she was in the “wrong business” after she asked him a question about Putin that he disliked.
🚨 BREAKING: Joe Biden is sending another $200 MILLION in weapons to Ukraine.
DO YOU SUPPORT THIS?pic.twitter.com/Y9bOOwIN7A
— Proud Elephant 🇺🇸🦅 (@ProudElephantUS) December 12, 2023
Later that year, he responded to a question from NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell, whom he deemed tiresome, with “You are such a pain in the neck, but I’m going to answer your question because we’ve known each other for so long.”
This year, Biden faced criticism for dismissing a “dumb question” from New York Post reporter Steven Nelson about allegations regarding money received through Hunter Biden’s foreign business dealings.
In recent days, as reporters tried to ask him questions about his son’s legal troubles, Biden walked by without responding, adding to the scrutiny of his approach to media interactions.
The president’s dismissive attitude toward the press has become a recurring theme, drawing attention and criticism throughout his time in office.
