State Department spokesman calls out a reporter for playing Pokémon Go during a press briefing

kirby pokemon

(Gotta catch 'em all.US State Department)

A US State Department press briefing was interrupted Thursday when spokesman John Kirby stopped to ask a reporter whether he was playing Pokémon Go.

Kirby stopped mid-sentence to say, "You're playing the Pokémon thing right there, aren't you?"

Here's the exchange via the State Department transcript:

Kirby: As the amount of anti-ISIL content continues to eclipse pro-ISIL content online, the working group renewed its commitment to launching innovative international campaigns and expanding regional and global networks and accelerating global efforts to confront them in the information space.

As the secretary said earlier today, though, and I think it's an important reminder — you're playing the Pokémon thing right there, aren't you?

Reporter: I'm just keeping an eye on it.

Kirby: It's an important reminder — we know this won't be easy. We recognize it's a challenge, and we're clear-eyed about the work we still have to do. This is why we convened this important ministerial and will continue to work with our coalition partners to defeat Daesh. Did you get one?

Reporter: No. The signal is not very good.

Kirby: Sorry about that.

Here's the video:

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