It’s past time for Biden to hold a news conference

White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Friday that President Biden would hold a news conference “before the end of the month.” Last month would have been better, and this week would be better than next. Avoiding news conferences must not become a regular habit for Mr. Biden. He is the president, and Americans have every right to expect that he will regularly submit himself to substantial questioning.

We say this while recognizing that Mr. Biden has shown galaxies more respect for the free press and the people’s right to know than his predecessor did. He reinstated daily news briefings, which are led by Ms. Psaki and often feature Cabinet members and other senior administration officials. Those briefings are informative, not forums for White House lackeys to attack journalists. Daily briefings are back at the State Department, too.

Mr. Biden has also given several TV and print interviews since his swearing in. He does not lie constantly and brazenly, and he does not tweet incendiary nonsense to distract from his failings. Last month, a senior Biden press aide had to resign for berating a journalist, the sort of behavior that Mr. Trump would have rewarded. All in all, Mr. Biden is proving to be a far more presidential president.