The White House press office recently threatened to revoke a reporter’s press pass over his repeated interruptions at press briefings.

The press office sent a formal warning to Today News Africa reporter Simon Ateba warning that if he continues “to impede briefings or events by shouting over your colleagues who have been called on for a question, even after you have been asked to stop by a White House employee, then your hard pass may be suspended or revoked, following notice and an opportunity to respond.”

The letter included several examples of Ateba shouting over colleagues or preventing press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre from answering questions.

Among those examples is a June 26 briefing in which Ateba interrupted Jean-Pierre to say she had been discriminating against him for months.

“You’re being incredibly rude,” Jean-Pierre said. Ateba said she was “not giving me freedom of the press.”

In a second incident on March 20, Ateba began shouting over Jean-Pierre, demanding that she allow him to ask a question and accusing her of “making a mockery of the First Amendment.” The chaos occurred as the stars of Ted Lasso, who appeared at the briefing to talk about mental health, looked on.

“It’s been seven months. You have not called on me,” he said.

“This is not China, this is not Russia,” Ateba shouted as others in attendance asked for “decorum” and “silence.” “You are making a mockery of the First Amendment.”

The letter to Ateba details guidance issued in May for journalists who cover the White House that tells reporters they must respect others in the building and not impede events on campus.

“The White House recognizes that members of the press often raise their voices or shout questions at press briefings or events,” the letter reads. “Ordinarily such shouting stops when a reporter is called on for a question, and the briefing or event is able to continue. Continued interruptions are different; they prevent journalists from asking questions or administration officials and guests from responding. The Press Secretary’s only option in response to such disruptions is to stop the briefing or event, which is to the detriment of all journalists.”

If the White House press office suspends or revokes his pass, Ateba would still be allowed to enter the facility by applying for access each day.