Topic: Josh Earnest

Archival clips from the Obama administration are used to highlight the shifting definition of "boots on the ground" in Syria. The discussion points out the hypocrisy of media figures who previously accepted the "advisor" label for troops but now criticize Trump for withdrawing those same forces.

Former Obama spokesman Josh Earnest and current White House deputy press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders appeared on Sunday news programs to discuss wiretapping allegations. Sanders challenged the media to investigate the potential for FISA warrants under the Obama administration, while Earnest maintained that the White House does not influence FBI investigations.

The Trump transition team proposes moving the White House press briefing room to the Executive Office Building to accommodate more journalists. President Obama and Press Secretary Josh Earnest defend the current arrangement as a vital symbol of transparency. The hosts suggest the press corps' resistance to moving may be related to existing surveillance infrastructure in the current room.

Four black youths in Chicago were arrested after broadcasting the torture of a mentally challenged white teenager on Facebook Live. The White House and mainstream media outlets initially hesitated to label the incident a hate crime, despite the attackers shouting racial and political slurs. Press Secretary Josh Earnest stated it was "too early to tell" if the incident met the legal definition of a hate crime, leading to accusations of media bias.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest struggled to provide concrete evidence of Russian hacking during a press briefing, relying instead on the "consensus view" of 17 intelligence agencies. Earnest pointed to a Department of Homeland Security report containing technical advice for system administrators as proof of a "deep technical analysis." The hosts criticize this logic, arguing that providing basic security remediation steps does not definitively tie the activity to the Russian government.

Senator Harry Reid alleges clear collusion between the Trump campaign and WikiLeaks to damage Hillary Clinton's candidacy. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest suggests Donald Trump was aware of Russian involvement and encouraged it during the campaign. The hosts dismiss these claims as a distortion of a joke Trump made regarding Clinton's 33,000 missing emails.

Josh Earnest acknowledges potential disagreement within the intelligence community regarding the intent of Russian hacking but emphasizes the negative effect it had on the Clinton campaign. He argues the "hack-and-leak" strategy was not applied equally to both parties. The hosts mock the idea that the intelligence community should ensure "fairness" in leaks.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest accidentally misspeaks, naming China instead of Russia as the primary cyber threat. Meanwhile, German media and officials are already blaming Russia for potential interference in their upcoming 2017 elections. Reports from the European Council on Foreign Relations even suggest Russia and Syria are orchestrating migrant sex attacks to destabilize Angela Merkel's government.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest blames Congressional Republicans for the failure to close the detention facility at Guantanamo Bay. The hosts use audio editing to remove Earnest's long pauses, making him sound like a robot. They question why President Obama has not used an executive order to close the base if it is a "national security priority."

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest reacts to Donald Trump's deal to keep Carrier manufacturing jobs in Indianapolis. Earnest claims that Trump would need to repeat such a deal 804 more times to match President Obama's record of creating manufacturing jobs. The hosts revisit 2011 clips of Obama discussing "saved or created" jobs to highlight perceived hypocrisy.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest defended the Affordable Care Act as premiums are set to rise significantly across the country. Earnest warned that the penalty for not having insurance—roughly $700—is a significant cost that can be avoided by signing up on Healthcare.gov. Critics argue that for many, the penalty is still cheaper than a single month of high-deductible insurance premiums, which continue to climb in states like Washington.

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte clarified his comments about "separating" from the United States, stating he is not cutting ties but seeking a more independent foreign policy. The White House expressed concern over his rhetoric as Duterte moves to strengthen relations with Russia and China.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest is questioned about Democratic operative Robert Creamer, who reportedly visited the White House 342 times. Earnest urges caution in believing the Project Veritas videos, while the hosts highlight the discrepancy between the high number of visits and the administration's attempt to distance itself from Creamer following his resignation.

WikiLeaks documents suggest President Barack Obama used a pseudonym to communicate with Hillary Clinton on her private email server. White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest admitted Obama was aware of Clinton's email address but claimed the President did not know it was a private server until it was reported in the media. Tim Kaine defended the President, suggesting Obama likely didn't think about the technical setup of the emails he received.

White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest is heard downplaying the likelihood of military action against the Assad regime in Aleppo. Meanwhile, the hosts criticize "The Weekly Standard" and its editors, including Bill Kristol, for their neoconservative "PNAC" agenda and poor editorial quality.

The U.S. suspended diplomatic consultations with Russia over the conflict in Syria, with White House spokesman Josh Earnest claiming "patience with Russia has run out." The hosts discuss Victoria Nuland's presence in Moscow and the deployment of Russian air defense systems to Syria. They also reference reports of the Pentagon spending $500 million on propaganda to influence the narrative in favor of a no-fly zone.

During a White House press briefing, Josh Earnest was questioned about a provision in the tax code that would allow President Obama to personally request and release Donald Trump's tax returns. Earnest dismissed the idea as unlikely, citing the need to keep the IRS free from political influence. The hosts transition to the ongoing efforts to impeach the head of the IRS over the Lois Lerner email scandal and the perceived lack of accountability in the agency.

The State Department admitted that a $400 million cash payment to Iran was contingent upon the release of American prisoners, despite previous denials. Administration officials and media outlets like MSNBC have attempted to blame the press for "missing" the story when it was originally announced in January. Critics argue the timing of the exchange makes it a clear ransom payment, rewarding Iranian aggression and terrorism.

A review of White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest's statements from January 2016 shows he characterized Iran's access to funds as the return of their own money rather than a taxpayer-funded payment. Earnest claimed the $150 billion figure cited by critics was an exaggeration and that Iran would use the funds to pay off existing debts. No mention was made at that time of the $400 million cash delivery on pallets.

An internal State Department investigation confirmed that a press briefing video regarding secret meetings with Iran was deliberately edited to remove specific questions. Spokesman John Kirby attributed the edit to a technician following a phone request, though the department claims there was no nefarious intent to conceal information. Skeptics dismiss the "technical glitch" explanation, noting that the full transcript remained available while the video was altered.