Overview
- National Economic Council Director Kevin Hassett criticized several networks on Morning Joe for declining to show the administration’s PowerPoint during the president’s address.
- Brian Stelter of CNN reported that a slide labeled “National Average Gasoline Price” showed prices near $3, which conflicted with Trump’s statement about cheaper gas in many areas.
- According to Stelter, Fox News appeared to be the only major outlet to display the slides during the speech and it labeled the graphics as provided by the White House.
- The Independent reported that networks passed on the slides in part because the White House did not provide clear sourcing information for the data.
- Hassett defended the materials as documentation of the president’s assertions and said the slides were reviewed by the Council of Economic Advisers.