In an unprecedented event, White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders took the stage alongside the journalists who cover her on Monday night at a School of Media and Public Affairs event presented with the White House Correspondents' Association.
The newsmaking panel had a wide-ranging conversation on politics, policy and journalism during "Trump's First Year."
In addition to the press secretary, speakers included Yahoo! News Chief Washington Correspondent Olivier Knox, Fox News Chief White House Correspondent John Roberts, American Urban Radio Networks Correspondent and SMPA Fellow April Ryan, The New York Times White House Correspondent Glenn Thrush and GW Political Science Professor Sarah Binder. The moderators were SMPA Director Frank Sesno and White House Correspondents' Association President Margaret Talev who covers the White House for Bloomberg News.
Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders said that she will push for more on-the-record opportunities for journalists at the White House, but also criticized anonymous sourcing.
“That’s something that we’ve tried I think to do with some success over the last couple of months, is working more to do on the record, certainly on camera briefings to allow that sense of access and sense of transparency ... but I think that goes both ways,” Sanders said. “It’s a disservice to the American people that there [isn’t] more credible sourcing.”
When questioned by April Ryan, the press secretary also defended remarks by President Trump and his chief of staff, John Kelly, criticizing Rep. Florida Rep. Frederica Wilson's claims that the president told the widow of a U.S. soldier killed in an ambush in Niger that he “knew what he signed up for.”
Press Sec Sanders: I don't think that General Kelly was wrong and therefore I don't think he should offer an apology https://t.co/Oc02OHO4fL
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 24, 2017
April Ryan and Sarah Sanders also exchanged respectful banter throughout the conversation including a moment where the press secretary remarked "I think I'm winning her over." Ryan bluntly replied, "No, you're not."
Press Sec. Sarah Huckabee Sanders: "I think I'm winning her over"
— NBC News (@NBCNews) October 23, 2017
WH Correspondent April Ryan: "No, you're not" https://t.co/wOQ1Aarkpo
Sanders made closing remarks expressing an appreciation for the office and said she will "look for better ways for both of us to do our job."