Reporter spars with State Department spox over Gaza violence

‘You’re just looking for a fight.’

Ragan Insider Premium Content
Ragan Insider Content

During a press conference on Monday, Associated Press reporter Matthew Lee ripped into State Department Press Secretary Victoria Nuland, hitting her with rapid-fire questions about the administration’s approach to the recent violence between Israel and Hamas.

The two-minute exchange reached its peak as Lee questioned Nuland about the administration’s non-response to Turkey calling Israel a “terrorist state.”

Nuland said she didn’t want to get into a “public spitting match” with allies.

To which Lee responded: “And you think that’s worse? A public spitting match is worse than hundreds of people dying every day?”

Dismissing the question, Nuland replied: “You’re just looking for a fight.”

To read the full story, log in.
Become a Ragan Insider member to read this article and all other archived content.
Sign up today

Already a member? Log in here.
Learn more about Ragan Insider.