Reporter Rips White Home For Lack of Transparency

A reporter who unknowingly became a decoy during an Iranian assassination threat against President Trump is demanding more transparency from the White House … because it took weeks for the press corps to learn Trump secretly slipped away from the Air Force One flight they thought he was accompanying them on.

Gram Slattery — a Reuters reporter — joined us on “TMZ Live” Tuesday to discuss the bombshell Washington Post story about Trump sneaking off AF1 via an airport catering truck due to a security threat leaving Turkey.

Gram was among the journalists and Trump staffers who were essentially used as bait on the decoy flight … and he says there was a request from the Secret Service to close their blinds at one point — a request which members of the media grumbled about at the time as well — which may have helped Trump’s great escape.

He says he’s surprised by all the subterfuge … explaining, in other situations, the Secret Service will provide information to journalists that is either off the record or embargoed until after the security threat has passed.

That obviously didn’t happen here … and Gram says it’s frustrating because journalists — especially foreign correspondents — are used to danger. However, usually they’re aware when they’re at risk … not so in this situation.

BTW … Gram also happens to be the reporter who Trump told, “If I go, you go,” when asked about the potential security threat … and he’s got a noteworthy reaction to Trump’s comment in hindsight.

We also spoke with Richard Staropoli — a retired Secret Service agent — who says the White House staff not informing the press speaks volumes about the relationship between Trump and the media.

Richard says this kinda stuff happens all the time … and he even took part in similar clandestine ops with past presidents. That said, he thinks the White House should’ve had a better response to the press … instead of resounding silence.