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Fact Check: Karine Jean-Pierre Abruptly Ended Briefing After Reporter Asked If White House in 'Freakout Mode'?
By Jordan Liles,
2024-05-30
Claim:
A video shows White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre abruptly ending the daily briefing on May 28, 2024, after Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asked a question.
On May 29, 2024, X user @WallStreetSilv posted a 15-second video of White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre taking questions at a daily briefing. In the video, Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy asks Jean-Pierre, "Are you guys here at the White House in full-blown freakout mode?" Jean-Pierre then abruptly ends the briefing.
However, this video was edited. The footage originated from the May 28 daily briefing in the James S. Brady Press Briefing Room. In the unedited exchange between Jean-Pierre and Doocy, she answered several of his questions. She then continued taking questions from other journalists in the room.
The Forbes Breaking News YouTube channel published an unedited video of Doocy's "full-blown freakout mode" question and Jean-Pierre's answer.
The White House published a full transcript of the daily briefing, including the moments between Doocy and Jean-Pierre:
DOOCY: Thank you, Karine. Are you guys here at the White House in full-blown freakout mode? (Laughter.)
JEAN-PIERRE: What are you talking about?
DOOCY: There's a —
JEAN-PIERRE: What are you talking about —
DOOCY: There's a Politico story —
JEAN-PIERRE: — Peter?
DOOCY: It sounds like Democrats outside — the quote is, "Biden's stubbornly — stubbornly poor polling and the stakes of the election 'are creating the freakout.'"
JEAN-PIERRE: So, again, I'm going to be mindful. I'm not going to comment on 2024 election.
I will say this. The President has never forgotten where he comes — where he came from, who he is. He understands what the American people are going through as they're sitting around the kitchen table. You ta- — you hear the President talk about his time growing up where he watched his family having to sit around the kitchen table making incredibly difficult decision.
And the President has always said he's going to fight for communities that have been forgotten. And you see that in the policies — economic policies that he's put forward. He's going to continue to fight for the middle class. He's going to continue to fight in every way that he can.
You heard me at the beginning talk about junk fees. Incredibly import- — and he's going to continue to fight and to make sure, you know, that corporation greed doesn't continue to take hold. He is — that is something that he's been very clear about, while Republicans are doing the opposite. They put out a policy where they want to give a big tax break to the wealthiest among us — billionaires and — and corporation. That's not what the President wants to do.
DOOCY: On another topic. Why did President Biden have a private meeting with a witness who plans to testify in court against his son?
JEAN-PIERRE: Can you say more?
DOOCY: Hallie Biden is a key government witness who allegedly disposed of a gun that Hunter is accused of buying illegally. President Biden —
JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.
DOOCY: — was at her house this week.
JEAN-PIERRE: I think the American people should also be told the full breadth of this, not just a part of this question here.
As you all know, the President actually spoke to this yesterday during his Memorial — I think, impactful, powerful Memorial Day address where he talked about — he talked about the passing — the anniversary — the ninth anniversary of the passing of his son [Beau Biden]. And he visited her as that anniversary is approaching. He visited her days before the anniversary of the passing of his son.
And she is family. She was married, obviously, to his late son. And I think that is something also to mention, as you're asking your question to me.
DOOCY: So — so, they did not talk about her testimony?
JEAN-PIERRE: This was not about that. This was about, literally, the ninth anniversary of the passing of his son —
DOOCY: One more.
JEAN-PIERRE: — that is upcoming in days, Peter.
DOOCY: We learned today there's going to be a book coming out this summer by Lunden Roberts. According to the press release, the book is about protecting the long-unacknowledged grandchild of the sitting President of the United States. Do you know if President Biden has met that grandchild yet?
JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have anything to share.
For further reading, Snopes previously reported about a time Jean-Pierre dodged at least one of Doocy's questions about Biden's mental health. That rumor was true, in that she did not provide relevant remarks in her brief answer. Additionally, we noted that an X user reposted an edited clip making it appear as if Jean-Pierre left the room without saying anything at all, just like the rumor researched for this article.
Sources:
"'Are You Guys In The White House In Full-Blown Freakout Mode?': Peter Doocy Questions Jean-Pierre." YouTube , Forbes Breaking News, 28 May 2024, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cYsZl3f9jX8 .
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