White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt honored former NBC commentator Mark Halperin with the briefing room’s “new media” seat during Tuesday’s press briefing.
Halperin, the founder of live video platform 2Way, was praised by Leavitt for creating “new media in its truest sense”, saying the business was one that “builds communities around interactive conversations.”
“Mark and his colleagues welcome all voices into discussions that are spirited but respectful,” Leavitt said.
The White House press secretary then gave him the first question of the briefing which Halperin used to ask Leavitt about whether President Donald Trump will consider exempting companies who change their policies to avoid his coming tariffs on U.S. imports, which are expected to take effect on Wednesday.
He also asked a question from a school teacher about whether the government will try to expand access to school vouchers and minimize the influence of teachers’ unions.
Leavitt’s praise of Halperin mirrored that of Megyn Kelly last week as she hired Halperin for her new network MK Media.
Kelly said she was “a huge fan of Mark’s” while announcing a lineup of new hosts. However, her praise came years after she blasted Halperin—her former NBC News colleague—over sexual misconduct allegations during his time at ABC News. He has denied some of the allegations.
Kelly included Halperin on a list of men accused of sexual misconduct during the start of the #MeToo era, which included Harvey Weinstein and Donald Trump. Halperin denied some of the allegations, though he admitted to inappropriately pursuing relationships with women at work.
“It’s hard to keep track of all the men accused of not just sexual misconduct, predatory, predatory sexual behavior,” she said in October 2017 during her NBC morning show.
Eleanor McManus, one of the women who accused Halperin of sexual misconduct, told the Daily Beast last week she was “hurt” by Kelly’s partnership with Halperin and texted her to say so. Kelly brought McManus onto her NBC show and questioned “where his apology was to his victims.”
“You assured me that you would do everything in your power to ensure he would never work again,” McManus said she texted Kelly. “Your words gave me hope and strength during an incredibly vulnerable time.”
Other former Halperin critics have since warmed up to him. Meghan McCain announced in February that she would host a show on Halperin’s 2Way network, saying she had given Halperin the “presumption of grace and forgiveness.”
