Ex-press secretary supports Biden’s competence before House investigators

Jean-Pierre Testifies on Biden’s Capabilities

Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently told investigators that she hadn’t noticed any changes in former President Joe Biden’s capabilities over the years. However, she acknowledged that she “was not the same speaker” as she was when she first met him.

This testimony came as part of an inquiry by House Supervisory Committee investigators regarding allegations that there had been efforts to cover up concerns about Biden’s mental acuity.

Jean-Pierre did not address reporters on her way into the interview, which lasted nearly five hours behind closed doors.

A source familiar with the investigation mentioned that during her time working for Biden from 2009 to 2025, Jean-Pierre did not observe any decline in the president’s abilities. Yet, she admitted that Biden was different now, although she didn’t know the reasons for that change and didn’t ask him about it.

As a notable figure from the Biden administration, Jean-Pierre had previously defended him publicly, particularly after a debate with then-candidate Donald Trump in June 2024. Following that event, she reported in July that Biden was “as sharp as ever,” attributing any underperformance to him having a cold.

During her testimony, she noted that while various advisors contributed to her press conference binders, matters related to Biden’s health were only discussed at a high level. She referenced the issue of manipulated videos portraying Biden, stating that while it was brought up in discussions, she wasn’t sure who specifically added it to the agenda.

Interestingly, she also mentioned that she never expressed her personal worries about Biden’s health to anyone at the White House. Jean-Pierre had taken on the role of press secretary in 2022 after Jen Psaki and served until the end of Biden’s term in January.

Following her departure from the Democrats earlier this year, her relationship with the Biden administration has reportedly soured. This shift was highlighted in a press release regarding her upcoming book titled “Independence: The Outside Perspective on the Broken White House.”

House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer is currently leading an investigation into the use of autopens by Biden, questioning whether they were used to authorize pardons or enforcement actions without the president’s full awareness. Comer expressed concerns about the legality of these processes and pointed out recent worries raised even within the Justice Department regarding their use.