Karine Jean-Pierre hammered for refusing to answer question on border crisis in viral exchange: 'Pathetic'

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s refusal to answer FOX News White House correspondent Peter Doocy’s question about the border crisis frustrated social media users on Thursday.

During the day's press briefing, Doocy questioned Jean-Pierre over recent U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) data that reported more than 7,500 migrants illegally crossed the border on Sunday, with the number rising to more than 10,000 a day later in the week. The exchange grew heated as Jean-Pierre lashed out against Doocy for interrupting her.

"So, what do you call it here at the White House when 10,000 people illegally cross the border in a single day?" Doocy asked.

"So, what do you call it, Peter, when [the] GOP put forth a – wait, no, no, no, no, no you can't," Jean-Pierre said, talking over Doocy as he attempted to qualify the question.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks during the daily press briefing at the White House September 21, 2023 in Washington, DC.  (Getty Images)

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"You're answering my question with a question," Doocy responded.

"I'm answering – OK, we're going to move on," Jean-Pierre said as the pair start talking over one another.

"Karine, please," Doocy said.

"No, no, no, we're moving on," she declared once again before gesturing to another reporter. "In the back."

"You said you were stopping the flow at the border. Ten Thousand migrants …" Doocy said before being cut off again.

"Peter, I tried to answer the question, and you stopped me," Jean-Pierre said before turning to the other reporter once again. "Let's go."

The back and forth between the two trended on social media as several people called out Jean-Pierre’s lack of a response to nearly record levels of border crossings.

Peter Doocy and White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre sparred over the border crisis on Thursday. (Getty Images)

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"Karine behaves like a substitute teacher," Townhall.com video journalist Kevin McMahon joked.

Sen. Josh Hawley's communications director Abigail Marone wrote, "She had to move on when she realized @pdoocy wasn't going to let her get away with reading a scripted talking point in response."

"Pathetic," FOX News contributor and radio host Guy Benson declared. 

The Post Millennial editor-in-chief Libby Emmons noted, "She doesn't think Doocy deserves an answer. Gotta say, she reminds me an awful lot of my wicked step-mother in this clip."

"KJP actually went with the ‘I know you are but what am I’ approach because she won't answer for the mess they've created intentionally," Twitchy’s Doug Powers remarked.

American Conservative contributing editor Chris Brunet commented, "as a Canadian, I wouldn't be able to move to the United States even if I wanted to, which I do. smh I should have been born Guatemalan."

"It’s called, ‘an invasion,’" actor Dean Cain posted.

"’What do you call it here at the White House when 10,000 people illegally cross the border in a single day?’ Crisis. The word she should use is ‘crisis,’" the GOP’s official "X" account said.

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection reported more than 10,000 border crossings in a single day according to NBC News. (Getty Images)

Sources told FOX News there were roughly 20,000 migrants in federal custody as of last month. Border Patrol has released anywhere from 100 to 200 migrants per day onto U.S. streets shortly after they cross the border, according to NBC News.

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FOX News' Anders Hagstrom contributed to this report.

Lindsay Kornick is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. Story tips can be sent to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. and on Twitter: @lmkornick.