WASHINGTON, D.C.–There was an altercation Friday afternoon before the White House press briefing between Jon Decker from Fox News Radio and Lucian Wintrich from the website Gateway Pundit.
Multiple witnesses who saw the confrontation confirmed that Decker approached Wintrich in the back room of the press briefing and began accusing him of being a Nazi and a white supremacist who worked for a white supremacist website. Witnesses also saw Decker follow Wintrich back into the briefing room and continue to point at Wintrich and accuse him and the website he works for of being “white supremacists.”
Drama in WH press room between @lucianwintrich and Fox reporter I don't know. Not helpful for anyone. Let's stay calm everyone.
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) March 10, 2017
Reporter screaming at @lucianwintrich was Fox Radio's John Decker. Not helpful or professional
— Andrew Feinberg (@AndrewFeinberg) March 10, 2017
GatewayPundit.com, run by gay conservative Jim Hoft, is not a white supremacist website but instead is a well-known site that’s been supportive of President Donald Trump.
Wintrich told Breitbart News that Decker blocked him from the doorway and claims he was assaulted by Decker, an accusation that Breitbart News was not able to independently confirm or deny. However, all witnesses agreed that Decker initiated the conflict and made the accusations while pointing to Wintrich.
Fox News Radio John Decker just loudly told everyone in briefing room that Gateway Pundit is here "they hate blacks, Jews, Hispanics." Wild
— Adrian Carrasquillo (@Carrasquillo) March 10, 2017
He was speaking to Lucian Wintrich. He said it twice, pointing to him, so everyone knew who he was. https://t.co/42njWQQ0fX
— Adrian Carrasquillo (@Carrasquillo) March 10, 2017
Wintrich, whose grandfather was Jewish, calls the allegation of being a “white supremacist” absurd and says that the idea that he’s racially biased is totally inaccurate.
Wintrich told Breitbart News that he also finds it strange that the accusations came from Jon Decker of Fox News Radio, since FoxNews frequently links to the Gateway Pundit site.
Throughout the 2016 campaign, President Donald Trump and his supporters and associates were dogged by false accusations of racism and anti-Semitism. Recently, Democrat Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi falsely accused Trump’s chief strategist Steve Bannon of being a white supremacist without citing any proof whatsoever.
John Decker also asulted me, pushing me in the break room & then grabbing my arm in the briefing room while shouting that I'm a nazi. https://t.co/RiVM1yYCJv
— Lucian B. Wintrich (@lucianwintrich) March 10, 2017
Jon Decker has denied accusations of assault, saying that he “did not get physical in any way” with Wintrich.
Fox News spox says Decker did not get physical in any way with Gateway Pundit's WH correspondent. https://t.co/1rW37XK6Ci
— Oliver Darcy (@oliverdarcy) March 10, 2017
Wintrich told Breitbart News that he was considering pressing charges and that, while he was leaving the White House, another man called him an obscene name.
COMMENTS
Please let us know if you're having issues with commenting.