Sanders, Fox reporter exchange jabs over off-camera briefings

by Jordan Fabian - 07/18/17 3:07 PM ET

Fox News reporter John Roberts roasted President Trump spokeswoman Sarah Huckabee Sanders on Tuesday over the White House’s refusal to allow television coverage of its daily press briefings.

When Roberts, the network’s chief White House correspondent, got up to leave the briefing early, Sanders noticed and joked, “John Roberts is bored today; he’s stepping out.”

“If it was on camera, I might not be,” Roberts shot back.

He explained on Twitter that he left the briefing early for an appearance on his network.

To all who are musing over me leaving the @SHSanders45 Briefing…I have a live shot. Had the brief been on camera, it would 1/2

— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) July 18, 2017

Would have been on TV, not me. I would have waited until it was over.

— John Roberts (@johnrobertsFox) July 18, 2017

{mosads}Fox News’ Shep Smith played audio from the briefing on air moments later, noting before playing it that “John Roberts came out early to be with us.”

The restrictions on coverage of the briefings have caused major friction between President Trump’s staff and the White House press corps.

The administration has not held an on-camera press briefing at the White House since June 29.

Trump’s press staff says the change is meant to draw more attention to Trump’s remarks, but in recent weeks staff members have held off-camera briefings on days when the president has no public events.

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