White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was confronted Tuesday over a controversial voicemail that President Joe Biden left his son Hunter.
But Jean-Pierre made it clear that the White House is refusing to address the situation.
What is the background?
Newly revealed information from the infamous Hunter Biden laptop showed that Biden called his son to discuss a New York Times article that reported on Hunter Biden’s business associations with a Chinese oil tycoon.
Biden said in the voicemail, according to the Daily Mail:
Hey pal, it’s Dad, it’s 8:15 on Wednesday night. If you get a chance, just give me a call. Nothing urgent. I just wanted to talk to you. I thought the article released online, it’s going to be printed tomorrow in the Times, was good. I think you’re clear. And anyway if you get a chance, give me a call, I love you.
The voicemail is noteworthy because it appears to contradict what President Biden has repeatedly claimed, namely that he was completely unaware and uninvolved with his son’s overseas business dealings, which are the subject of a federal investigation.
What did Jean-Pierre say?
Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy confronted Jean-Pierre about the voicemail, highlighting the apparent contradiction the voicemail exposed.
“Why is there a voicemail of the President talking to his son about his overseas business dealings if the president has said he’s never spoken to his son about his overseas business dealings?” Doocy asked.
Confusingly, Jean-Pierre first responded that whatever Biden said “is what stands” before repeatedly dodging the question.
“Well, first, I’ll say that what the president said stands. So if he — if that’s what the president said, that is what stands,” she said.
“He’s leaving a voicemail about a New York Times article concerning Hunter Biden’s business dealings. And it says, ‘I think you’re clear.’ How is that not him talking to his son about his overseas business dealings?” Doocy objected.
That is when Jean-Pierre completely shut down Doocy.
“We’re not — from this podium, I am not going to talk about alleged materials from the laptop,” the press secretary said. “I will — I am not —”
“So are you disputing that it’s the president’s voice on the voicemail?” Doocy interjected.
“I am not going to talk about alleged materials on a laptop. It’s not happening,” Jean-Pierre said.
When Doocy asked again whether she was disputing that President Biden was behind the voicemail, Jean-Pierre referred Doocy to seek a response from Hunter Biden’s representatives.
07/05/22: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre
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