White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki failed to address a question posed by a reporter on Friday about how Americans can have faith in the administration regarding Afghanistan when it has lied about less pressing matters such as the number of times President Joe Biden's dog, Major, has bitten someone.
After pointing out that Judicial Watch reported that Major had bitten secret service agents every day for eight days earlier this year, despite Psaki saying in March that the canine was only involved in one biting incident, the reporter questioned the press secretary about how Americans can trust the information provided by the Biden administration.
"We expect honest information even for minor stories," the reporter told Psaki during a press briefing.
"And if we can’t get honest information about minor stories, why should we have faith in the administration’s account for larger issues like Afghanistan?" he asked.
“If we can’t get honest information about minor stories, why should we have faith in the Administration’s account for larger issues like Afghanistan?”
— Ian Miles Cheong @ stillgray.substack.com (@stillgray) August 27, 2021
Psaki does not answer the question. pic.twitter.com/wheTd9OByB
Psaki responded by thanking the reporter for keeping "the dog in the news in the briefing room" before solely addressing Major's behavioral incidents that were reported earlier this year.
"As we’ve stated previously, Major has had some challenges adjusting to life in the White House," Psaki said. "He has been receiving additional training. As well as spending some time in Delaware where the environment is more familiar to him and he is more comfortable."
"I don’t have any additional specifics, but I think that speaks to where Major is located to be fully transparent in your ongoing interest in the dog," she continued.
However, the press was notified of only a few of those. On March 10, CNN reported the dog had bit two people. Psaki later confirmed that the dog, Major, “did in fact bite someone at the White House” and labeled it a “minor injury.” On March 30, 2021, the White House once again confirmed the president’s dog had “bit another employee, who then required medical attention.”