Daily US Times: A White House spokesman has been suspended for a week without pay after allegedly threatening a reporter who was asking questions about his private life.
TJ Ducklo, the White House deputy press secretary, reportedly threatened reporter Tara Palmeri of Politico, who was investigating his relationship with another journalist.
On Friday, White House press secretary Jen Pskai said that Mr Ducklo had apologised to Ms Palmeri.
He has not commented independently.
Some observers have criticised President Biden for failing to take stronger action. Mr Biden has previously said he would fire “on the spot” any staff speaking disrespectfully to colleagues.
The suspension of Mr Ducklo came after Vanity Fair magazine reported on his alleged threats to Ms Palmeri.
Ms Palmeri had been investigating Mr Ducklo’s relationship with Axios journalist Alexi McCammond, who had covered Mr Biden’s election campaign.
Mr Ducklo allegedly rang her and said: “I will destroy you”. He also made other misogynistic and derogatory comments, Vanity Fair reports.
President Joe Biden’s spokeswoman tweeted on Friday that TJ Ducklo was “the first to acknowledge this is not the standard of behavior set out by the President”.
She said that as well as being suspended without pay for a week for threatening the reporter, the White House deputy press secretary would no longer work with Politico reporters when he returned to the White House.
President Joe Biden told his staff on his first day in the White House that he would not tolerate bullying behaviour.
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