Media members were concerned by the Trump administration's decision to ban audio and video from a White House coronavirus briefing Tuesday led by Vice President Mike Pence.

Mediaite notes that President Trump had previously promised the administration would be "aggressively transparent" in its response to the spread of the new coronavirus known as COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan, China, and has made its way to the United States. But journalists argued Tuesday's briefing was anything but, with some describing the action as "authoritarian."

We need transparency. Instead we are getting this. https://t.co/0z6yXdodE0 — Judd Legum (@JuddLegum) March 3, 2020

It also served as further proof for some people that the administrator isn't prepared for what's to come, and preventing audio or video was viewed as a way to distort that perception.

No audio or video permitted at Pence WH coronavirus press conference, absolutely outrageous and will further signal the public that the Trump admin doesn’t have a handle on this @SenSchumer @SpeakerPelosi @KevinMcCarthyTV @senatemajldr https://t.co/flU4QD32Rn — Laura Rozen (@lrozen) March 3, 2020

Pence didn't give much of an explanation for why they wound up taking that route, but he did tell CNN's Jim Acosta they will "likely be back on camera tomorrow." Tim O'Donnell