Lebanese presidency regrets US envoy’s insulting remarks about journalists

The Lebanese presidency has expressed regret over the “inadvertent” comments made by the US Special Envoy to Syria, Tom Barrack, during a press conference, emphasising its respect for journalists and media representatives.

“The Lebanese Presidency regrets remarks made inadvertently from its podium by one of its guests,” the presidency posted on X. This statement came just hours after Barrack faced backlash in Lebanon for describing journalists’ behaviour as “animalistic” during the event at the presidential palace in Beirut.

As reporters shouted questions following Barrack’s meeting with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, the envoy, who also serves as US Ambassador to Turkey, called for silence, stating, “We’re going to have a different set of rules… Please be quiet for a moment. The moment that this starts becoming chaotic, like animalistic, we’re gone. So, if you want to know what’s happening, act civilised, act kind, act tolerant, because this is the problem with what’s happening in the region.”

READ: Israel will withdraw from southern Lebanon if Hezbollah disarms: US envoy

The Lebanese photojournalists’ syndicate condemned Barrack’s comments as “a direct insult” that sets “a serious and totally unacceptable precedent.” They demanded “an immediate and public apology,” rejecting any attempts to downplay the severity of his remarks.

Similarly, the press editors’ syndicate called for “a public statement of apology” and suggested a boycott of Barrack’s future visits and engagements. 

The union of journalists in Lebanon echoed these sentiments, describing Barrack’s comments as evidence of “unacceptable arrogance” in his dealings with the media, and also called for an official apology.

READ: US envoy faces backlash in Lebanon after calling journalists’ behavior ‘animalistic’