Correspondents’ Association president says WH asked him to criticize reporter’s work

The president of the White House Correspondents’ Association (WHCA) reportedly said Monday that the White House asked him to criticize another reporter’s article, a request he declined.

Jeff Mason, who covers the White House for Reuters and serves as the president of the association, said at a town hall that he refused the request, according to Politico media reporter Hadas Gold.

Jeff Mason at WHCA town hall says WH once asked him to release stmt criticizing a reporters article … Mason declined

— Hadas Gold (@Hadas_Gold) July 11, 2017

{mosads}According to Erik Wemple, The Washington Post’s media reporter, Mason declined to elaborate further.

Asked to give more details on WH request, @jeffmason1 declines to do so.

— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) July 11, 2017

Mason says assn has made clear to WH that it’s not uncommon for a prez to be unhappy with coverage

— ErikWemple (@ErikWemple) July 11, 2017

“They have occasionally asked us to do things that are not our role,” says @whca President @jeffmason1 of @WhiteHouse. https://t.co/QKVNPyIH5j

— Steve Herman (@W7VOA) July 11, 2017

The town hall comes amid mounting tensions between the press corps and the Trump administration, which has in recent weeks increasingly turned to off-camera briefings with reporters.