President Biden welcomed Prime Minister Mark Rutte of the Netherlands to the White House for a bilateral meeting in the Oval Office, where the press listened as the two leaders made remarks at a photo op ahead of the meeting.

Immediately following those remarks, reporters shouted questions in an indistinct cacophony as press aides tried to usher them out, but Alexander could be heard more clearly above the din repeatedly shouting “Will you commit to speak to the special counsel?”

As the noise died down and the reporters began to clear out, a hot mic caught an exchange between Alexander and another reporter in which Alexander said the president looked right back at him and ignored the question:

PETER ALEXANDER: I looked him straight in the eye and said it, he looked at me back and didn’t say a word! “Will you commit to speak to the special counsel?” He looked at me, didn’t say a word.

REPORTER: Why?