MSNBC Host Reveals The Truth Behind Chaotic Interview With Biden

The narrative of President Joe Biden offering a “return to normalcy” following the Trump administration paints Biden as a champion of transparency and media access, and is falling under well-deserved scrutiny. MSNBC host Stephanie Ruhle recounted an interview with President Biden in May 2023 that highlights the significant restrictions placed on the press during Biden’s presidency.

In a revealing interview with Lukas Thimm, Ruhle described an unsettling moment during her May 2023 interview with President Biden. When she asked a direct question about how a potential indictment of his son, Hunter Biden, might affect his presidency, Biden’s team immediately intervened to halt the interview. According to Ruhle, Biden’s aides began “screaming and yelling” as soon as she asked the question, attempting to end the conversation prematurely.

While the interruption was not aired in the original broadcast, a transcript of the interview revealed “crosstalk” after Ruhle posed her question. The interference was so pronounced that Ruhle had to ask Biden to repeat his response due to “audio issues.” The line of questioning itself was legitimate, exploring the potential political ramifications of Hunter Biden’s legal challenges on his father’s presidency.

Ruhle’s experience highlights a stark contrast to the public narrative promoted by many of Biden’s supporters, who have suggested that the current president has ushered in an era of greater media freedom compared to the more combative relationship between former President Donald Trump. In fact, during the Trump administration, reporters routinely had more direct access to the president, despite his frequent criticisms of “fake news” and his aggressive stance toward certain media outlets.

During her interview, Ruhle also pointed out that unlike with President Trump, who was easily reachable via a direct phone call, reaching President Biden—along with Vice President Harris—often required navigating through a labyrinth of aides and bureaucratic layers throughout the 2024 presidential campaign.

Ruhle’s interview with Biden exemplifies the controlled media environment that has characterized much of his time in office. Despite claims that his administration represents a return to a more traditional and transparent form of governance, the reality is that the Biden White House carefully regulated interactions with the press even more so than his predecessors.

At one point, it was reported that President Biden’s staff had provided him with a sheet featuring photographs of journalists who had pre-approved questions for him to answer. This practice—of carefully selecting reporters and screening their inquiries—raises significant concerns about the level of transparency and press freedom under Biden’s administration. Rather than encouraging spontaneous and unfettered dialogue, Biden’s team has been orchestrating media engagements to avoid uncomfortable or probing questions, undermining the ideal of a truly accountable government.

Vice President Kamala Harris was also notably elusive in terms of press access on the campaign trail, with reports highlighting her reluctance to engage with journalists in any substantive or consistent manner. Harris, much like Biden, has often been shielded from challenging questions, furthering the perception that the current administration is incapable of effective messaging.

Though this disparity between the popular narrative and the reality of press access under the Biden administration is well documented, it remains to be seen whether other Democratic journalists and pundits are willing to publicly address it.