In the briefing room, Mr. Ateba joined a group of reporters who have access to the White House but don’t have permanent seats. These reporters often scramble for back-row seats that remain vacant when other journalists don’t show up. However, they are rarely given the opportunity to ask questions during briefings. It’s worth noting that Mr. Ateba currently holds a “hard pass,” which grants him regular access to the White House grounds. In May, the White House implemented stricter requirements for this credential, a move that Mr. Ateba and others in the media interpreted as a response to his behavior (source: The Daily Beast).
Mr. Ateba expressed frustration over not being able to ask a question during the initial months of the Biden administration. Subsequently, he requested a private meeting with Ms. Psaki, the White House Press Secretary (note: Ms. Psaki declined to comment for this story). Following their cordial meeting, Ms. Psaki did call on Mr. Ateba during a briefing on September 1, 2021. Mr. Ateba posed a friendly question, asking whether those who had criticized President Biden as “sleepy” should apologize.
According to Mr. Ateba, the following months were characterized by a positive rapport between him and the administration. However, tensions arose in November 2021 when the Biden administration imposed a travel ban on eight southern African nations due to concerns about the new Omicron variant of the coronavirus. This decision drew criticism from public health experts who deemed it unscientific and viewed it as scapegoating Africa, considering the widespread prevalence of the variant in Asia and Europe. During subsequent press briefings, Mr. Ateba questioned Dr. Anthony Fauci and engaged in a confrontational exchange with Ms. Psaki, referring to the ban as “racist.”
Amidst their exchange, Mr. Ateba accused Ms. Psaki of inflating the number of cases in South Africa, to which she responded that it was ineffective to interrupt and raise voices over fellow colleagues. Following this incident, Ms. Psaki and Mr. Ateba held another private meeting. As their interaction in the briefing room gained attention on Twitter, Fox News invited Mr. Ateba to appear on “Tucker Carlson Tonight.”
Reflecting on the invitation, Mr. Ateba questioned whether it was in his best interest and if he would be exploited for others’ agendas. Ultimately, he concluded that the condescending treatment he received was insufferable. He perceived that Ms. Psaki gladly entertained his questions when they were amicable, but readily dismissed him when he posed tough questions relevant to his area of expertise. Consequently, he accepted the invitation and went on-air. During his appearance on December 3, he informed fill-in host Jesse Watters that if former President Trump had implemented a travel ban solely targeting African countries, he would have faced severe backlash for his racist actions.
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