Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre had no answer Tuesday when asked why the White House did not extend an invitation to the leader of the national Border Patrol union for President Joe Biden’s upcoming border visit.
During a press conference, a reporter asked Jean-Pierre why National Border Patrol Council President Brandon Judd was stiffed by Biden yet received an invitation from Donald Trump.
“So look, I will have more to share on what Thursday’s gonna look like. We’ll have more to share on who’s going to be joining the president,” Jean-Pierre replied.
C-SPANTrump previously announced he would visit the Eagle Pass, Texas, Thursday to contrast his agenda to secure the border with Biden’s failure to do so. Biden later announced he would travel to Brownsville, Texas, the same day as Trump’s visit.
Jean-Pierre noted that Judd endorsed the Senate-passed pro-migration and foreign aid bill, which Biden supported. That bill included a pay raise for Judd’s members.
Yet Judd remains a Biden critic, even calling for the impeachment of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas. And he was unsparing in his criticism of the president’s inaction on border security during a Monday Fox News appearance, arguing Biden only wants an election year photo opportunity.
“He had three years to do what he needed to do to secure the border. He had three years to put policies in place,” Judd said. “Now we’re only eight months from an election and now it looks like he’s interested, and he’s only interested in it because it’s self-serving and he wants to save himself.”
Judd argued Biden could end the current migrant flow with existing powers if he had the desire.
“But the truth of the matter is, yes, he could stop this flow tomorrow,” Judd said.
As for Trump’s invitation to Judd, Jean-Pierre declined to answer.
“I can’t speak to him being with the former president in Texas,” she said, “but that’s for him, obviously, to speak to, and we’ll certainly we’ll have more as we get closer to Thursday.”
Bradley Jaye is a Capitol Hill Correspondent for Breitbart News. Follow him on X/Twitter at @BradleyAJaye.
