Unwilling to hold a real press briefing, White House hosts a ‘mock’ one for kids

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April 24, 2019 is “Bring Your Kids to Work Day.” It also marks over 40 days since the White House has held an official press briefing — surpassing the old record.

• However, press secretary Sarah Sanders apparently still had time to do a “mock” press briefing for kids.
• While the group was mainly the children of the White House press corps, it appears some of the kids were White House staffers’ offspring — given the “MAGA” hats some kids, seated in the blue chairs normally reserved for journalists, were sporting.
• The White House tried to insist the event be off the record, but that didn’t stop journalists from reporting what questions were asked.
• The briefing room was also open to working journalists at the time — though they mostly stood in the back or around the perimeter.
• While many of the questions were softballs — such as favorite color or favorite dinosaur — one child reportedly asked about Trump separating families (Sanders responded that Trump “keep families together.”)
• At the end of the “briefing” AP White House reporter Darlene Superville yelled “Sarah, when will you brief for the real reporters?”
• She did not get a response.

Children of White House reporters and staff are in an off-record briefing with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders. pic.twitter.com/QZJ9ufQCax

— Jennifer Jacobs (@JenniferJJacobs) April 25, 2019