The Secret Service is reviewing an incident from last night in which an agent blocked a CBS News reporter from asking White House senior adviser and President Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner a question.
When CBS' Errol Barnett realized he was on the same flight from Washington to New York as Kushner and his wife Ivanka Trump, who's also a White House advisor, the reporter tried to ask Kushner a question about the allegations that Saudi Arabia murdered and dismembered Washington Post columnist Jamal Khashoggi in the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.
But a Secret Service agent blocked Barnett's phone, and when the reporter showed the agent his press credentials, he answered, "I don't give a damn who you are, there's a time and place."
Barnett tweeted the video, and explained on CBS Evening News that Kushner, who doesn't speak to the press, is the administration's main envoy to Saudi Arabia and central to Trump's close ties to the kingdom's rulers, particularly Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Jared Kushner did not answer my question and the secret service informs me, while obscuring my phone, that despite identifying as WH press, there is a “time and a place” for questions.
It is unclear when and where that is. pic.twitter.com/KRzlj3hrqw
Barnett said, "The Secret Service officer said to me there is a time and a place for these types of interviews. I have to make the point that it's unclear what time and place that would be to ask Jared Kushner questions."
Spox statement to @cbsnews via @ArdenFarhi— errol barnett (@errolbarnett) October 17, 2018
“@SecretService is aware of the video... circumstances surrounding the incident are under review... appropriate action will be taken if necessary. No further comment will be made until the incident is able to be fully reviewed.” pic.twitter.com/LgffT77Mnc
The president of the White House Correspondents' Association asked the Secret Service about the incident, since agents aren't supposed to block reporters from asking questions of government employees, and the agency said the incident is under review and that, quote, "appropriate action" will be taken if necessary.
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