President Joe Biden shushed reporters at an event for social media influencers at the White House on Wednesday.
The president joined 100 TikTokkers for the first-ever White House “Creative Economy Conference” in the Indian Treaty Room.
He began the event by asking, “Now, is that the real press or the fake press?” a phrase commonly used by his former rival, former President Donald Trump.
Biden went on to tell White House reporters in the back of the room that they should cover the economy more positively.
“We’re going to have a soft landing,” he said when asked if the United States had defeated inflation. “My policies are working. Start writing that way, OK?”
President Joe Biden hosted about 100 social media influencers at the White House on Wednesday. During his appearance, he encouraged journalists in the room to cover inflation in a more positive light.
Later at the White House press conference, Jared Bernstein, chairman of the Council of Economic Advisers, was asked what the president meant by that statement.
“Well, what do you think he meant by ‘start writing that way’?” Bernstein asked. “That’s the first time I’ve heard him say that. I can only interpret it as meaning that he thinks that’s not being done.”
Also at the influencer event, Biden talked about how his grandchildren got their news through social media rather than traditional sources.
“With all due respect, they don’t read the same newspapers or watch the same television as I do,” the president said. “They listen to all of you. They listen to all of you,” he told the social media stars.
“The fact is, you are the future. You are the future,” he continued.
“And there are more people who want to go into business these days than anyone else,” Biden added. “Do you think when I retire, where do you think I’m going to go? I’ve got connections, man. Everybody thinks I’m joking.”
She praised social media influencers for breaking through “in ways that I think are going to change the whole dynamic of how we communicate.”
President Joe Biden takes a selfie with the roughly 100 TikTokkers invited to the White House for the first-ever ‘Creator Economy Conference’
“And that’s why I invited you to the White House, because I’m looking for a job,” the president said with a laugh.
Biden, who dropped out of the presidential race last month, made a number of jokes about retirement and old age throughout his appearance.
“Now I know I only look 40,” she said at one point, adding, “You can smile.”
He noted that he has been in politics for “800 years.”
“I wanted to tell you something else and now I can’t remember what it was,” the 81-year-old added.
The president oscillated between being critical and more friendly to the press.
“The national press is a good bunch. They don’t like me very much, but I like them,” he said at one point.
But then, when he got to the Q&A portion of the event, he told “non-press members” (the influencers in the room) that he would only take questions from them.
That didn’t stop White House reporters from trying.
A reporter shouted a question at Biden about the Venezuelan elections.
“I’m not talking to you,” Biden responded.
When he tried again, Biden let out a “shush.”
“Yes, I’m not going to answer your question. I’ll talk to them first, OK? I’ll talk to the audience first, OK?” the president said, before telling reporters they should write more positive articles about inflation.