Washington, D.C. — No one seems to know whose idea it was for President Donald Trump to meet with “members of the video game industry” this upcoming week.
It’s also unclear who is invited and when the meeting will take place.
Video game industry sources told The Daily Walkthrough they don’t know who in the White House initiated or signed off on the meeting, or if its origins were with press secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders herself.
Sanders briefly mentioned the meeting in response to a question by Associated Press White House reporter Zeke Miller at Thursday’s press briefing. The announcement comes on the heels of statements Trump made alluding to a link between video games and violence in meetings with lawmakers Feb. 22 and Feb. 28.
The Entertainment Software Association, which represents the video game industry and works closely with Congress and the White House, released a statement after the briefing saying “ESA and our member companies have not received an invitation to meet with President Trump.”
The White House told TheDW Friday the meeting was planned for Wednesday, March 7, but that the date had not been confirmed. A source, however, said “If [the meeting] were to happen,” the White House told them it would be Thursday, March 8.
TheDW has reached out to the White House for additional clarification.
Katie Frates is the editor-in-chief of The Daily Walkthrough. Follow Katie on Twitter and Facebook, and signup for The Daily Walkthrough for the latest on gaming and esports.