Reporters at Friday's briefing blasted White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre despite Hunter Biden's pardon and President Joe Biden's promise to son that he would not receive a pardon from his father. did.
The president formally issued a “full and unconditional” pardon to his son on Sunday, granting him immunity from any convictions, potential crimes, or pending cases from January 1, 2014 to December 1, 2024. Freed. Several reporters asked if it was Mr. Biden or Mr. Jean-Pierre. He owes the media and the American people an apology, how can the president be trusted again, and why did he come to this decision?
Associated Press White House correspondent Zeke Miller asked the press secretary directly whether Biden owed the American people an apology for repeatedly saying he would not forgive his son. Jean-Pierre responded that Biden was “troubled” by the decision to pardon his son over the weekend, after initially maintaining his position that he would not pardon him.
“they were [told] In July you said this wouldn't happen, and it did,'' Miller said. “So, I'm not asking the president's name, but you yourself, do you think you owe the president an apology, do you think you owe the American people an apology?”
“Zeke, I was just explaining the president's thinking,” Jean-Pierre said. “The president explained it in his own words, he did. In a statement, he explained how he approached this decision, saying, “As president and as a father, I am deeply grateful to make this decision.'' I talked about how difficult it is.” He thought about it this weekend, really thought about it, and wrestled with it. So it's a factor. [There are] Some real factors that he considered, and that's why I keep saying people should just take a look and read his statement. And I know what I said, I know what the president said, that's where we were at the time, that's where the president was at the time. I'm his spokesperson. This weekend he thought about it, wrestled with it and made this decision. That's what I say to the American people. ”
Jean-Pierre then falsely quoted YouGov public opinion poll When asked about the president's credibility, Miller found that 64% of Americans approve of a pardon. The poll found that 64% of Democrats approve of amnesty, while 50% of Americans overall oppose it.
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Jean-Pierre has denied the possibility of Biden issuing a pardon on several occasions, including in two press conferences on July 26 and July 27, 2023. Biden made it clear to ABC News anchor David Muir in a June 13 interview that he ruled out pardoning Hunter. (Related: KJP receives verbal lashing from reporters after Biden pardons Hunter)
NBC News White House correspondent Kelly O'Donnell questioned whether there were concerns about Biden's credibility due to his sudden change in decision. Jean-Pierre cited Democratic South Carolina Rep. Jim Clyburn's encouragement of Hunter's pardon and his concerns about President-elect Donald Trump's alleged plans to carry out “vengeance” against his political opponents. He acknowledged that “circumstances” caused the president to change his mind.
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When CNN's senior White House correspondent MJ Lee followed up on Miller's question about how Americans would perceive Biden's words, the press secretary became visibly irritated.
“Zeke asked this question and I didn't hear an answer. Why should the American people believe the president the next time he says he will or won't do something?” Lee asked. .
Jean-Pierre responded, “I have answered that question. I have nothing else to add,” prompting a backlash from Lee. “I answered the question, I answered the question. Well, I can't speak to whether I understood the question or not, or whether I understood my answer. What else can I say? No, I'm not going to re-litigate this. I argued the case for 30 minutes a day, went back and forth, and said please read the President's really comprehensive statement on this matter, and I said right down to the last paragraph of that statement, he directly said, I'm speaking to the American people, and I answered that question.”
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CBS News White House correspondent Ed O'Keefe asked whether Biden had “expressed regret” for putting her in the position of having to make false statements about the pardon, or whether he personally asked Jean-Pierre. I asked him if he had apologized.
“I understand this question, and I think you basically share my feelings when you broached this question. And all of us who work in this administration, I work for the president. “My job is to represent what he felt and thought,” he said, speaking for the president. That's my job as the White House press secretary, someone who speaks on behalf of the president of the United States, and that's how I feel,” Jean-Pierre said.
The spokesperson told O'Keefe there was “no need for an apology” from Biden and argued that many legal experts believe Hunter was charged with a crime that is rarely prosecuted. O'Keefe suggested Americans would have a hard time trusting Biden again because of Biden's false assurances that there would be no pardons, and the spokesperson said people should still trust Biden. He said that.
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Biden wrote on Sunday. statement He claimed his son was “selected” by his political opponents because he was their son, and because of how he filled out a gun application and “was late paying back his taxes with interest and penalties.” He argued that very few people were prosecuted. ”
The president has cleared his son of possible charges related to his overseas business dealings in Ukraine, China and Romania, including nine charges that he failed to pay $1.4 million in taxes over three years. It was. He was also released from a June conviction for illegally purchasing a gun and entering false information on a purchase form.
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