New York Times criticizes Biden for 'actively and effectively' dodging questions, interviews

The New York Times criticized President Biden for avoiding media interviews in the wake of a Politico story about tension between the newspaper and the administration.

In a statement published Thursday, the NYT wrote:

[I]n meetings with Vice President Harris and other administration officials, the publisher of The Times focused instead on a higher principle: That systematically avoiding interviews and questions from major news organizations doesn’t just undermine an important norm, it also establishes a dangerous precedent that future presidents can use to avoid scrutiny and accountability. That is why Mr. Sulzberger has repeatedly urged the White House to have the president sit down with The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal, Reuters, CNN and other major independent news organizations that millions of Americans rely on to understand their government.

The Times also asserted that Biden "has so actively and effectively avoided questions from independent journalists during his term," which they deemed "troubling."

The newspaper released the statement following Democratic blowback from a Politico report that claimed the NYT and the White House have a strained relationship. Several reporters from The Times have denied claims made in the Politico article regarding reporting on Biden's age.

Democratic political strategist Tom Bonier wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter) that Politico's story "confirms what many had theorized for quite some time, and further undermines the credibility of the NYT’s coverage of this election."