State Department cuts off reporter who asked about John Bolton's book.

'We can mute that line': State Department cuts off reporter trying to ask about Bolton's book during censorship briefing

WASHINGTON – During a briefing on Chinese propaganda and press censorship, the State Department's chief spokeswoman muted the line of a reporter who tried to ask a question about John Bolton's explosive new book and attacked a second reporter who followed up.

Morgan Ortagus quickly cut off a Reuters' reporter who started to ask if any U.S. allies had reached out to the State Department's East Asian and Pacific Affairs chief, David Stilwell, in the wake of Bolton's book. In the book, Bolton writes that President Donald Trump offered various concessions to Xi Jinping in exchange for China's help winning his 2020 re-election.

"That's not what this call is about," Ortagus said. "AT&T, we can mute that line."

The State Department held the call to brief reporters on a decision Monday to designate four Chinese news organizations as state-controlled foreign missions – essentially labeling them propaganda outlets. The four outlets – China Central Television, China News Service, People’s Daily and Global Times – will be required to report their employee rosters and real estate holdings to the State Department.

"We really believe in freedom of the press and freedom of speech," Stilwell said in explaining the decision to label the four outlets as arms of the Chinese Communist Party.

"The U.S. government has long welcomed foreign journalists to report the news and events happening in U.S. freely without the threat of reprisal," Stilwell said. "Journalists in the United States, regardless of nationality, have and will continue to enjoy the freedom of expression that is not permitted in the (People's Republic of China)."

A Bloomberg reporter, Nicholas Wadhams, asked what message it sends for the State Department to refuse to answer questions about Bolton's book during a call on ensuring freedom of the press in the United States.

Ortagus laid into Wadhams, calling his question "offensive."

" ... The insinuation that we haven't made ourselves available or responsive to your questions ... is offensive," she said. "And I just would like to go on the record that that's totally inaccurate."

She argued the State Department's press office is highly responsive and that Secretary of State Mike Pompeo regularly answers reporters' questions.

However, the State Department's press office often fails to respond to journalists' questions, particularly on controversial topics. And while Pompeo takes a handful of questions during his news conferences, he is known for having a testy relationship with the press.

According to Bolton, Trump asked Xi to increase purchases of American soybeans and wheat to help his reelection prospects in farm states. At a summit dinner in Japan last year, Trump was "pleading with Xi to ensure he'd win," Bolton writes, to use China's economic clout for his political benefit. Trump offered to reduce U.S. tariffs if China agreed to those purchases, which he told Xi would help him win crucial farm-state votes.

Monday's decision to label the four Chinese outlets as foreign missions comes amid escalating tensions between the U.S. and China over the coronavirus pandemic and other issues.

In early March, the Trump administration ordered several Chinese media organizations to dismiss dozens of U.S.-based Chinese nationals as part of what Pompeo described as "reciprocity" following years in which China's harassed American journalists working in the country. China quickly retaliated by expelling journalists for the New York Times, the Wall Street Journal and the Washington Post from China.

Stilwell noted that China tried to censor information about the severity of the novel coronavirus when it first emerged in Wuhan, before spreading across the globe.