President Joe Biden has come under fire for using a “cheat sheet” during a press conference with South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol.

The incident has sparked controversy, with Kayleigh McEnany and other co-hosts on “Outnumbered” criticizing Biden for his use of the cheat sheet, which appeared to include a question from a Los Angeles Times reporter.

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McEnany argued that she never experienced a situation like this during her time as the press secretary in the Trump administration. She also questioned why a reporter from the L.A. Times would provide such detailed information to the White House press team, suggesting that it appeared as though they had given Biden a prepared answer to the question.

The cheat sheet included a picture of the reporter along with the pronunciation breakdown of her last name. It also had “Question #1” handwritten at the top of the sheet, indicating the president should call on her first at the conclusion of his remarks. The question in Biden’s hand read: “How are YOU squaring YOUR domestic priorities — like reshoring semiconductors manufacturing — with alliance-based foreign policy?”

McEnany said that while it’s possible the reporter provided topics to the White House press team, it appeared the team was given a heads-up so that they could give Biden a prepared answer to the question. She claimed that during her time in the Trump administration, her staff put in the work to research the topics and the reporters themselves, rather than being given exact questions. McEnany also questioned why the White House press team would need such detailed information in advance, suggesting that it appeared as though they were worried about Biden trying to answer questions on his own.

Fox News contributor Marie Harf, who previously worked in the Obama administration, argued that the incident was being “a little overblown” and that principals often have a heads-up on what kinds of issues reporters want to ask about and talk about. She added that she was 100% confident that the White House was not telling reporters what to ask. However, co-host Emily Compagno pushed back, saying it seemed as though Biden’s team was worried about him trying to answer questions on his own.

The L.A. Times denied any wrongdoing, stating that their reporter did not submit any questions in advance of the Q&A with President Biden. They said that as a White House correspondent, Courtney Subramanian is in regular contact with the White House press office seeking information for her reporting. The Times also suggested that the White House press team should be asked who prepared the document for the president and why they included that question.

The incident has raised questions about the role of the press in White House briefings and the relationship between the press and the presidency. Some have criticized the use of cheat sheets, arguing that they undermine the credibility of the presidency and the press. Others have defended the use of cheat sheets, suggesting that they are a necessary tool for ensuring that the president is well-informed and prepared for questions.

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