Members of the press are, for the most part, not huge fans of Donald Trump. They criticized him as a candidate and they have continued to criticize him after the election. Many have complained about the lack of access to the president-elect in recent weeks and have noted Trump’s reluctance to take questions from reporters in a public setting.
That didn’t stop these reporters from attending an “off-the-record” Christmas bash with Trump at his resort in Mar-A-Lago. Mike Allen, a prominent Beltway stenographer, tweeted out photos of the fancy gathering, while repeatedly noting the “off-the-record” nature of the affair.
Christmas @ Mar-a-Lago: @realDonaldTrump, relaxed and chatty, hosts press for drinks — off-record but pics OK @axios pic.twitter.com/lysW7FHzIl
— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) December 19, 2016
Christmas at Mar-a-Lago: #NotYourTypicalPoolHold! dinner for pool apres @realDonaldTrump off-record .. follow @axios pic.twitter.com/8Zw9QFc1vJ
— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) December 19, 2016
Christmas at Mar-a-Lago: @realDonaldTrump hosts press pool for off-record in his White and Gold Ballroom … @axios pic.twitter.com/avGjvmG50o
— Mike Allen (@mikeallen) December 19, 2016
CNN political reporter Jeremy Diamond documented the event on Instagram.
Reporters who weren’t invited to the luxurious shindig were pretty annoyed, and lashed out at their peers in the industry for, among other things, “whoring themselves out for access.”
@xeni @tdopp @MichaelLinhorst @mikeallen when journalists kowtow the most powerful it shows how little they care to hear from powerless
— Will Dizard (@willdizard) December 19, 2016
@mikeallen lol in all seriousness though this is terribly embarrassing for you & everyone in this photo should be ashamed. happy holidays!
— Silpa Kovvali (@SilpaKov) December 19, 2016
@mikeallen @realDonaldTrump @axios Thanks for whoring yourself for access
— Jeremy M (@thismyshow) December 19, 2016
Reminder that some people are journalists because they worship power in any form and need to be adjacent to it https://t.co/NhF1l5R4EQ
— Ned Resnikoff (@resnikoff) December 19, 2016
Trump: hey press, fuck you guys
Press: give us a conference
Trump: okay now let's have a party off the record
Press: ooh canapés— Jim Gould (@Biscuit_Tornado) December 19, 2016
Is there a list yet of the "journalists" who sold out for a sandwich and champagne for an off-the-record with Trump? Gotta unfollow them.
— B.Seiders.Elf (@eigenseide) December 19, 2016
"Off the record but pics ok" HOW. ARE. YOU. THIS. STUPID. He ripped Mitt Romney's balls from his body with the EXACT SAME TRICK. @mikeallen
— MAX IM A KOOPA (@meakoopa) December 19, 2016
Donald Trump hosts an off-the-record meeting for journalists who can’t stop getting played https://t.co/aXQvnAxQog pic.twitter.com/RrPnGyol8N
— FishbowlDC (@FishbowlDC) December 19, 2016
Or, like, ever. RT @Will_Bunch Reporters shouldn't pal around off-the-record with Trump until he agrees to public on-the-record news conf.
— Paige Williams (@williams_paige) December 19, 2016
Members of the press met Trump off the record over drinks & posed when the President-elect has held no press conference in 143 days? Not OK https://t.co/mezkcDxgkX
— Alex Howard (@digiphile) December 19, 2016
Wait, the Washington press corps seriously went to an off record drink time with Trump? Clowns getting played before our eyes. https://t.co/f3M7Wf3y5i
— Craig Craker (@Craig_Craker) December 19, 2016
letting Trump go off the record is insane and spineless https://t.co/fwStJqco8A
— Ashley Feinberg (@ashleyfeinberg) December 19, 2016
It’s not exactly surprising that the so many members of the press would “sell out” and leap at the chance to pal around with powerful politicians in an “off-the-record” environment. Trump is hardly the first to pull this trick.
"White House Press Corps Happy to Attend Barack Obama's Off-the-Record BBQ" – http://tr.im/s1tq (pretty shameful mention of @mikeallen)
— Nick Troiano (@NickTroiano) July 12, 2009
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