White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre during a press briefing Wednesday had a tough time fielding questions surrounding Joe Biden’s decision to drop out of the 2024 presidential race.
Jean-Pierre struggled to explain to Fox News reporter Peter Doocy why voters were only made aware of Biden’s cognitive decline after his disastrous debate with Trump when White House officials were aware of it long beforehand.
“It would seem that people in the White House knew that President Biden was slipping and it was hidden from the American people. So, who ordered White House officials to cover up a declining president?” Doocy asked.
Love me some Doocy
"Do you have a list of people who stabbed him in the back!" LMAO pic.twitter.com/7iNCBaUwvF
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Kimmie
Jean-Pierre replied, “I know that that is a narrative that you love and that–“
Doocy interrupted, “In ten days, he did a press conference at NATO. ‘I’m in it. There’s all these things that I need to finish,’ and then 10 days later, ‘I’m dropping out.’”
Jean-Pierre responded, “Ok? You’re asking me like two, multiple questions here. Let me wait, wait, first of all there’s been no cover-up. I want to be very clear about that. I know that’s the narrative that you all want. Let me answer the question.”
Doocy: “Would you at least submit that that debate wasn’t just a bad night?”
“Can I answer the question? …To your first question, it is not a cover-up. I know that is the narrative that you all want. It is not,” she said.
“I’m going to say this again and you’re, you’re going to hear directly from the president. I hope you listen tonight. I think it’s going to be incredibly powerful and important the Oval Office, presidents, as you know, when they make speeches from the Oval Office, it’s because there are important moments that they want to directly make sure that the American people hear from them and it’s obviously going to be done in prime time. I would listen to the president.”
“And then what I will say is that it is not easy making a decision that the president made on Sunday. It is just not, it is not,” she added.
Biden on Sunday unceremoniously announced he would drop out of the presidential race in a letter posted to X that was missing official presidential letterhead and bearing a signature many have claimed doesn’t match his style.
He is set to address the nation about his decision to drop out tonight from the Oval Office at 7pm CST.
Watch the full WH briefing: