An Associated Press reporter angrily walked out of a State Department briefing Tuesday when spokesman John Kirby repeatedly dodged a question related to the deadly terror attacks in Brussels.
Reporter Matt Lee asked Kirby how many Americans had been injured in the attacks that killed at least 34 and wounded scores more. While the State Department said it was searching for a “fair number of missing Americans,” a specific number was not given.
“I’m going to avoid giving a specific number,” Kirby said.
“Why can’t you just say the number that you have confirmed and qualify it by saying it’s incomplete and could rise,” Lee fired back in response. “The U.S. military has already spoken about one service member and a family. The Mormon Church has spoken. If the State Department is not able to give even a preliminary, albeit incomplete, count, why?”
He later tweeted his frustration.
I refuse to believe @StateDept doesn't have even an incomplete count of #US casualties in #Brussels. Mormon church/military already spoken.
— Matt Lee (@APDiploWriter) March 22, 2016