Biden takes questions after Washington Post called him out for evading press conferences

President Joe Biden took questions from the press Tuesday night after his meeting on the debt ceiling stalemate with Congressional leaders. 

He spent a little more time than usual engaging with the press pool on the heels of the left-leaning Washington Post calling his lack of press conferences 'unacceptable.' 

In an op-ed published Monday, the Post's editorial board blasted him for 'stonewalling the media,' and pointed out that Biden had headlined zero solo press conferences all year. 

'President Biden hasn't dropped the microphone; he appears to have lost it. Mr. Biden is turning into a news media evader, and it's harmful to his presidency and the nation,' the op-ed said. 

Biden did participate in two bilateral press conferences - at the White House last month with South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol and during his trip to Ottawa with Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. 

President Joe Biden (right) participates in a press conference last month with South Korean Yoon Suk-Yeol (left) as part of South Korea's state dinner. Biden has held zero solo press conferences in 2023 and just three accompanied by world leaders 

President Joe Biden smiles as he takes questions from the press pool Tuesday evening. The extended Q&A comes after The Washington Post editorial board called it 'unacceptable' the president held so few press conferences 

The president also participated in a trilateral press conference with Trudeau and Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador during his visit to Mexico City in January. 

He skipped holding press conferences during his other two recent trips abroad - to Ireland and Northern Ireland, as well as when he visited Ukraine and Poland. 

Press conferences are formalized settings where the president takes questions from the press. 

Presidents will also take part in gaggles, more spontaneous question-and-answer sessions. They're often held as the president is departing the White House for a trip, or after the president makes a statement. 

But the American Presidency Project tracked that Biden does that less than his predecessor, former President Donald Trump.

The Post pointed out that only Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan averaged fewer press conferences than Biden, who came into office cheering press freedom and transparency - a contrast to Trump, who frequently called reporters the 'enemy of the people.' 

'Taking questions from the media promotes public accountability. It also shows that the president is willing to defend his positions and instills confidence that he can do the job,' the op-ed argued. 

'It is widely known that Mr. Biden is gaffe-prone and that news conferences are not his forte. But as he runs for a second term, he should be eager to show he can handle all aspects of the job,' the opinion piece continued. 'Pick up the microphone, Mr. President. The media is not your enemy.' 

The lack of press conferences is also why a Biden gaffe on Friday got so much attention. 

Biden had teased journalists that he would be holding a 'major press conference,' as he explained that he wouldn't be engaging in Q&A with them during a meeting of his 'Investing in America Cabinet.' 

'I'm doing a major press conference this afternoon, so I love you all, but I'd like to ask you to leave so we can get down to business,' the president said at the time.  

The only problem was there was no press conference on the schedule - and nobody in the White House press corps was aware of one was being planned. 

In reality, Biden was referring to a sit-down interview scheduled later in the day with MSNBC's Stephanie Ruhle.

While the White House ignored requests for clarification from DailyMail.com and at least two conservative outlets - two 'sources familiar' told The New York Times that Biden was 'referring to his MSNBC interview tonight,' reporter Katie Rogers tweeted.