Biden’s White House press secretary has had a tough time since Trump won the election. But things are only getting worse for her.
And Karine Jean-Pierre collapsed during a press conference when she was called out by reporters.
During a recent press briefing, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre found herself in a tense exchange with Fox News senior White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, who questioned the contrast between President Biden’s rhetoric before and after the election.
Following the election, Biden briefly addressed the nation, congratulating President-elect Trump on his victory and pledging that his administration would ensure a “peaceful and orderly transition.” He called for unity, describing political campaigns as a “contest of competing visions” that the American people ultimately choose between.
“We accept the choice the country made. I’ve said many times, you can’t love your country only when you win. You can’t love your neighbor only when you agree. Something I hope we can do, no matter who you voted for, you see each other not as adversaries, but as fellow Americans,” Biden remarked.
Heinrich, however, pointed to Biden’s history of warning that Trump and his supporters posed a threat to democracy.
“As you’ve mentioned, you know, this administration messaged to millions of Americans that they’re going to wake up the day after the election if Trump won and have their rights stripped away, that democracy would crumble. And the president said today, ‘We’re going to be okay,’ So how do you square that?” she asked Jean-Pierre.
Jean-Pierre responded firmly, explaining, “I can square that. I’m going to square that in a way that hopefully makes sense, because I’ve been answering this question multiple times. The American people made the decision. There was an election two nights ago. There was. And it was a free and fair election. And we respect the election process. We do. And Americans spoke. And so the job of the president is to make sure we respect that. The job of the president is to make sure that we have a peaceful transfer of power. That is what the American people deserve.”
She added that Biden had acted in line with his responsibilities to ensure a peaceful transition, noting, “because the president wants to lead by example. It’s not complicated. It really isn’t. And, you know, that’s important.”
Heinrich pressed further, asking about the message to people who might still feel fearful due to Biden’s previous warnings.
In response, Jean-Pierre expressed frustration. “Well, now you’re just twisting everything around, and that’s really unfair. No it is, no, no, no, Jackie, it’s unfair because I’ve been standing here trying to be very respectful to what happened the last two nights, two nights ago. Being respectful,” she said, emphasizing that she had consistently conveyed respect for the election results and the American people’s choice.
“I’ve been standing here saying that we respect the decision that the American people made,” Jean-Pierre continued.
“I’ve been standing here and saying that the president’s going to put the American people first. I’ve been standing here talking about how the president’s going to make sure that they get what they deserve, which is a peaceful transfer of power.”
Appearing visibly frustrated, Jean-Pierre reiterated her objections, stressing, “I do not appreciate having my words twisted,” and insisted she had been “very clear, very, very, very clear about what the president wants to do, and the vice president. We want to make sure that we deliver for the American people. They deserve a peaceful transfer of power. And that’s what you’re going to see.”
Concluding the exchange, Jean-Pierre closed her binder and exited the podium, saying, “Thanks, everybody.”
During his campaign, Biden had repeatedly asserted that Trump represented “a threat to democracy.”
As he rallied for his running mate, Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden warned voters about the consequences of a Trump victory, declaring, “Our democracy is at stake. Think about it. Think about what would happen if Donald Trump wins this election.”
And now that Donald Trump has won the presidency, it seems as though Harris, Bidne, and Karine Jean-Pierre are no longer making the claim that Trump is a threat to democracy.
It’s interesting how that works.
Stay tuned to The Federalist Wire.
