Heated exchange during Monday’s White House press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre defended the Biden administration against claims that Vice President Kamala Harris is dissatisfied with President Joe Biden’s handling of the southern border crisis. The tension arose after Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy questioned Jean-Pierre about Harris’s recent campaign promise to hire thousands more border agents, suggesting that this indicated a lack of confidence in Biden’s current approach.
Doocy’s pointed question—”How long have you guys known that Vice President Harris does not think President Biden is doing a good job at the border?”—seemed to catch Jean-Pierre off guard. She initially asked for clarification, but Doocy pressed on, highlighting Harris’s campaign ad that emphasizes the need for more Border Patrol agents.
Jean-Pierre, visibly perplexed by the line of questioning, firmly pushed back against Doocy’s interpretation. She argued that his assumption was unfounded, stating, “You’re making a huge jump there. She did not say this. This is something that you are assuming. I don’t understand why you would assume that. It’s not true.”
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Despite Jean-Pierre’s rebuttal, Doocy continued to probe, questioning why additional agents would be necessary if Biden’s policies were effective. In response, Jean-Pierre asserted that both the President and the Vice President are aligned on the need for more border agents, while placing blame on external factors hindering their efforts.
“Really, we believe that. The president does want more Border Patrol agents? You know who’s getting in the way? Republicans in Congress, they’re getting in the way. You know who else is getting in the way? The former president Donald Trump, he’s getting in the way,” Jean-Pierre stated, pointing to Trump as a key obstacle.
Jean-Pierre further elaborated on the administration’s stance, emphasizing their commitment to bipartisan efforts to address border security. She noted that a bipartisan agreement was in the works but was halted due to opposition from Republicans, allegedly influenced by Trump.
“There’s no daylight here. The president believes that as well, and he’s worked towards doing that. There was a bipartisan agreement on the table that the president worked through with Republicans in the Senate and Democrats. They were told not to move forward because it would help Joe Biden by the former president. That’s their decision,” she concluded.
This exchange highlights ongoing tensions surrounding the Biden administration’s immigration policies and the role of former President Trump in influencing current political dynamics. As the 2024 election draws nearer, these issues are likely to remain at the forefront of political discourse.
