California Gov. Gavin Newsom criticizes the media’s treatment of President Donald Trump during Trump’s Oval Office press conferences, according to multiple outlets. Newsom says reporters are giving Trump favorable, softball-style questions rather than challenging him. In describing the press, he uses the term “sycophants,” arguing that coverage and questioning do not provide strict scrutiny.
Both sources report that Newsom’s comments are directed at White House reporters who participate in Oval Office events and asks questions in front of the president. The articles characterize Newsom’s remarks as part of a broader critique of how press access and questioning are handled in the Trump White House.
The reports do not indicate any specific questions he cited or any changes to Oval Office press procedures. They present Newsom’s assessment of the tone of the interaction between Trump and members of the press as his main point, rather than offering additional documentation or counter-arguments from the White House or the reporters involved.
