Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki stepped up to defend President Biden’s unorthodox approach to engaging with the media on Monday, arguing that prioritizing appearances on shows like “The View” over traditional press conferences is a strategic move to effectively communicate with the American people.
During an appearance on the ABC News talk show, Psaki highlighted the evolving media landscape, emphasizing the plethora of options available for disseminating information. “The benefit of the media environment right now — there’s a lot of challenges, but I’m going to start with the optimistic side — is that there are so many choices,” Psaki remarked.
Psaki stressed that while freedom of speech and freedom of the press are crucial, the primary goal of White House communication is to connect with the American public. “When you’re communicating from the White House, I mean respect for freedom of speech and freedom of the press is important, but you’re also just really trying to communicate with the American people, right? So my view is he should come on ‘The View’ before he does a press conference,” she explained.
The defense comes in light of criticism regarding Biden’s limited media appearances throughout his first term in office. At 81 years old, Biden has conducted the fewest formal interviews and press conferences of any modern president. According to a tally by Martha Joynt Kumar, director of the White House Transition Project, Biden has participated in just 89 total interviews over his first three years in office, with a mere three solo White House press conferences — a figure that rises to 33 when joint appearances with other world leaders are included.
Psaki’s remarks underscore the administration’s strategic approach to media engagement, prioritizing platforms that may offer a more direct and accessible connection with the broader public. As Biden navigates the evolving media landscape, his administration continues to explore innovative ways to effectively communicate its policies and initiatives to the American people.
