President Biden is hosting a private meeting with the leaders of the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (Quad) – Australia, India, and Japan – at his Delaware estate. While the White House has celebrated the event as a testament to the strong relationships forged between these nations, the lack of press access has ignited controversy.
The White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) has voiced strong disapproval, arguing that the American public deserves to witness these historic meetings. Eugene Daniels, WHCA president and Politico correspondent, stated in an email to the press: “The lack of access to the president of the United States for these bilateral meetings due to a location chosen by the White House is unacceptable to the WHCA.”
Daniels further emphasized the importance of press coverage, stating, “It’s essential for the public to have direct and independent press accounts of the greetings at the very least.”
The White House, however, has defended its decision, highlighting the importance of personal relationships in foreign policy. White House national security spokesman John Kirby has said, “These are personal relationships that mean a lot to him. And he believes personal relationships are important to foreign policy.”
The administration has also pointed out that reporters will have the opportunity to see Biden and the world leaders when they depart.
The private nature of the event has led to concerns about transparency and the public’s right to know. The meeting is taking place at Biden’s hometown of Wilmington, an unusual venue for a summit of this caliber, and has been characterized as a “low-profile dinner” hosted at Archmere Academy, Biden’s former school.
This summit, expected to be one of Biden’s final meetings with foreign leaders before the end of his term, has become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over press access and transparency in the current administration.
