White House Press Secretary Sean Spicer called out NBC News on Tuesday for inaccurately reporting President Donald Trump's executive order temporarily banning immigration from seven terrorist-sponsor countries. During the daily White House briefing, NBC's Kristen Welker asked Spicer about Trump's use of the word "ban" in a tweet on Monday. The press secretary responded, "He's using the words the media is using."
"It can't be a ban if you're letting 1 million people. If 325,000 people from another country can't come in, that is by nature not a ban," Spicer added. After a terse disagreement about the President's use of the word Welker asked, "Is he confused or are you confused?"
"I'm not confused," Spicer replied. "The words being used to describe it derive from what the media is calling this. He's been clear it is extreme vetting this the House Speaker saying that."
From there ensued Spicer's attack on the network.
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"There's clearly some confusion but part of it, your network was one of the people that just hours ago told people [Homeland Security Secretary] General [John] Kelly was unaware of what's going on and moment later he gets on air saying here's how many times I've been briefed," Spicer said.
Welker responded that NBC cited a New York Times report. Spicer responded, "NBC News reporting is based on the New York Times false reporting."
Here is the January 31 exchange:
NBC NEWS’ KRISTEN WELKER: Sean you're saying this was not a ban. This was President's Trump tweet "If the ban were announced with a one-week notice the bad would rush into our country."
SEAN SPICER: He's using the words the media is using.
WELKER: Those were his words.
SPICER: Jonathan, thanks, I'll let Kristen talk. It can't be a ban if you're letting 1 million people. If 325,000 people from another country can't come in, that is by nature not a ban.
WELKER: The president himself called it a ban.
SPICER: I understand that.
WELKER: Is he confused or are you confused?
SPICER: I'm not confused. The words being used to describe it derive from what the media is calling this. He's been clear it is extreme vetting this the House Speaker saying that.
WELKER: What do you say to Republicans who argue that this is a part of a broader issue with the president not enacting this policy smoothly?
SPICER: First of all, I think we've addressed that, that we could have either telegraphed this days in advance in which people could have gotten on planes and come over here, which would have undermined the exact nature of what this sought to prevent or done it in a way that inconvenienced some folks for a little while.
WELKER: Do you dispute -- shall.
SPICER: Can I answer the request? There's clearly some confusion but part of it, your network was one of the people that just hours ago told people General Kelly was unaware of what's going on and moment later he gets on air saying here's how many times I've been briefed. With all due respect, I think you have been part of the confusion. You have helped cause this, despite claims to whatever you claim you have sources that tell us General Kelly stands up and says this is how many times I've been briefed, this is how many people were involved and yet you were out there --
WELKER: I think it was a New York Times report was cited.
SPICER: I apologize. NBC News reporting is based on the New York Times false reporting. How can it be accurate reporting, Glenn, if --
WELKER: It can be untrue that --
SPICER: The Secretary of Homeland Security stood up and you're calling him a liar? Glenn, I'm talking to -- you said that the report in the New York Times said that he was unaware of the ban.
