'You committed to speaking in a transparent way, in a truthful way, and in an honest way,' AP reporter tells Jean-Pierre
Karine Jean-Pierre bombarded by press over Hunter Biden in first televised briefing since pardon
Reporters asked the press secretary if President Biden was worried about his credibility after he claimed last summer he wouldn't pardon his son.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre responded to sharp questioning on Friday from an Associated Press reporter after she had previously stated multiple times that President Biden would not pardon his son Hunter Biden.
Biden released a statement on Dec. 1 announcing that he would pardon his son, sparing Hunter from sentencing in two federal cases involving federal tax charges and felony gun charges. The pardon also covers all potential crimes Hunter "committed or may have committed" from Jan. 1, 2014 to Dec. 1, 2024.
"You were asked about the president pardoning his son and you said, ‘It's a no. It will be a no. It's a no,'" AP White House correspondent Zeke Miller said, recounting Jean-Pierre's statements.
TOP 10 MEDIA REACTIONS TO PRESIDENT BIDEN BREAKING HIS PROMISE NOT TO PARDON HUNTER
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeatedly claimed that President Biden would not pardon his son. (AP Photo/Susan Walsh)
"I'm wondering if you would like to explain to us, to the American people, really, why the information you provided turned out not to be true," Miller said.
CLICK HERE FOR MORE COVERAGE OF MEDIA AND CULTURE
The AP called out Karine Jean Pierre for lying to the American people...
— Tim Young (@TimRunsHisMouth) December 6, 2024
I DID NOT have that on my 2024 bingo card.
This is wild to watch! pic.twitter.com/yrY7vqx34g
"When you look at the statement, it's pretty comprehensive," Jean-Pierre said, referring to Biden's full statement, adding that the "circumstances have changed."
President Biden argued that Hunter was "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted" by members of Congress in a White House statement.
"No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong," Biden said.
Biden argued that Hunter was "selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted" by members of Congress in a statement about his pardon. (Getty Images)
Miller also reminded Jean-Pierre of promises that she made when she first became White House press secretary.
"In your first briefing here as press secretary, you committed to speaking ‘in a transparent way, in a truthful way, and in an honest way,'" Miller told Jean-Pierre.
Jeffrey Clark is an associate editor for Fox News Digital. He has previously served as a speechwriter for a cabinet secretary and as a Fulbright teacher in South Korea. Jeffrey graduated from the University of Iowa in 2019 with a degree in English and History.
Story tips can be sent to
