Karine Jean Pierre, White House Press Secretary, took a lot of heat on the internet after she left while a reporter shouted a question about President Biden’s possible involvement in his son Hunter’s foreign business dealings.
The allegations that Biden had been involved in his son’s business dealings was the main topic of discussion at Wednesday’s briefing, following House Speaker Kevin McCarthy’s announcement about a formal investigation into impeachment against President Obama. Jean-Pierre insisted repeatedly that House Republicans had provided “no proof” related to the president. However, New York Post Correspondent Steven Nelson noted that many voters believed otherwise.
“Can you explain how the president was able to interact with so many foreign business associates of his son? CNN reported that more than half of the voters believed that the president was involved in it and lied. Karine, you can’t respond to that?” Nelson asked.
Jean-Pierre left the podium after refusing to answer.
Social media users who were frustrated by her behavior noticed the pattern in which she avoided questions about Hunter Biden.
Miranda Devine, a journalist for the New York Post and a contributor to FOX News, said: “Never an answer.”
Never an answer https://t.co/dQO0BMa3Ev
— Miranda Devine (@mirandadevine) September 13, 2023
Tim Young, a comedian, said: “KJP runs from questions about Biden’s working with Hunter’s business associates…And Americans think Joe is a complete liar …”
KJP runs away from questions about Biden working with Hunter’s business associates…
And the fact that Americans believe Joe to be a complete liar… pic.twitter.com/TkFbInKveV
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) September 13, 2023
“This Administration has a total dysfunction and is corrupt. Yet the media and the Democrat Party act as if it were a normal situation. Bob Barr, a former Republican Georgia representative, lamented that this may be the “new normal”.
This Administration is completely dysfunctional and corrupt, yet the mainstream media and Democrat Party blithely act or pretend it is a perfectly normal situation. And sadly, perhaps it is the “new normal.” https://t.co/nvQulHPUQM
— Bob Barr (@bobbarr) September 13, 2023
Greg Price, a conservative strategist, wrote: “Not one reporter asked about this question during the briefing on the impeachment investigation except @stevennelson10 of the NY Post who had to wait for the end as Karine was leaving.”
Not a single reporter asked this during the briefing when talking about the impeachment inquiry except @stevennelson10 from the NY Post, who had to wait until the end when Karine was walking out.
— Greg Price (@greg_price11) September 13, 2023
According to the official GOP account, Joe Biden had met with Hunter’s associates at least 16 times. Devon Archer testified that Hunter had Joe Biden speak on the speakerphone at least 20 times during meetings.
Joe Biden met with Hunter’s business associates on at least 16 different reported occasions.
According to sworn testimony from Devon Archer, Hunter put then-VP Joe Biden on speakerphone on at least two dozen occasions during meetings. https://t.co/DR7FtyijQ6
— GOP (@GOP) September 13, 2023
Citizen Free Press reported that “KJP bolts when reporters increase the heat.”
KJP bolts from the podium when reporters turn up the heat:
“Can you explain why the president interacted with so many of his son’s foreign business associates? More than half of voters told CNN that the president was involved and he lied!” pic.twitter.com/hy7kkzt6On
— Citizen Free Press (@CitizenFreePres) September 13, 2023
Abigail Marone, communications director for Josh Hawley, summarized: “KJP’s so useless at briefings.” She is almost always the second person or third to speak at briefings, and when she finally does get up she doesn’t even answer questions. “Always refers reporters to another person or “won’t be into it,” with a clown emoticon.
KJP is so useless at these briefings. She’s almost always the second or third person to take the podium at briefings and then when she finally gets up she just doesn’t answer any questions.
Always refers reporters to someone else or “won’t get into it.” 🤡
— Abigail Jackson 🇺🇸 (@abigailmarone) September 13, 2023
Jean-Pierre was criticized for avoiding questions about Hunter Biden. Reporters pointed out that her new language has changed from insisting Biden had never “discussed business” with her son to Biden having never “been involved in business” together. Some questions received harsher answers.
It’s not your choice how I answer the questions. Jean-Pierre snapped at Nelson in June, “I just answered your question by telling you that my colleagues at White House Counsel have dealt with this and I would recommend you to them.”
Jean-Pierre reacted to Nelson’s claims that House Republicans had found “no proof” of Biden’s “inconvenience”.
“Even House Republicans have said the evidence does not exist. House Republicans have said that to my friend in the back who just yelled at, which is incredibly inappropriate,” she said, appearing frustrated.
“But House Republicans said there isn’t — there isn’t — that it doesn’t exist. Their own investigations have debunked these ridiculous accusations. We have all seen this, and you have all reported it. The only reason Speaker McCarthy does this — is that he is doing a political stunt because Marjorie Taylor Greene said — she had threatened to shut the government down,” she said.
