Tipsheet

It Looks Like Biden Aides Really Did Want Karine Jean-Pierre Gone

Rebecca Downs
Rebecca Downs  |  April 30, 2024 5:30 PM

As Spencer covered at the time last week, top aides to President Joe Biden very much wanted White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre to leave her position. As Fox News' Steve Doocy revealed during Monday's episode of "FOX & Friends," the information contained in a report from the New York Post, that Biden wants her gone but she just won't go is "absolutely true."

Speaking about such a report on Monday morning, Doocy offered that "a White House official, a very high-ranking person, told me that the story was absolutely true. They would like her to step aside, but she just won't go."

Fox News White House Reporter Jacqui Heinrich was also on to discuss the report, including how Jean-Pierre actually did have an offer from the pro-abortion group EMILY's List. "Well, it caught me by surprise, the timing of this report. Because the whole Emily's List offer was several months ago. That was reported at the time. So I don't know what sort of made this come out now," Heinrich said. 

Heinrich also addressed another area of concern that has been reported, such as the issues with White House National Security Communications Advisor John Kirby, who is often beside her at the podium for press briefings. 

"Broadly speaking, you know, Karine has her wheelhouse in certain areas. Just like we see John Kirby always talking about anything with national security, foreign policy, you know, the former Pentagon spokesman. They sort of divide that job in that area," Heinrich offered. "And when Karine has to, you know, talk about the things that usually John Kirby talks about, it's not as strong as when she talks about things in that are more in her wheelhouse -- political messaging, for instance. The timing of the report was a little bit surprising because we knew about the EMILY's List offer back in, I think, December."

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When the timing of Friday's report came up, as well as how the White House Correspondents Dinner was on Saturday, it was then that Doocy revealed that comment from the "White House official" who he said was "a very high-ranking person." 

Although Heinrich stressed she couldn't speak to such remarks personally that Doocy said he heard from that "White House official," she did offer that "behind the scenes people speak more candidly."

That Biden would want her gone is a curious point, especially since Jean-Pierre has talked about how the president and First Lady Jill Biden supposedly wanted her for the role because they found her to be "beyond capable."

Then again, she's not exactly known for being competent at her job. Last June, she was also found to have violated the Hatch Act for her remarks at the podium just before the 2022 midterm elections, as she ranted about "mega MAGA Republicans."

As Spencer noted in his Friday piece, "The Post's source emphasized that forcing out Jean-Pierre presented a 'huge diversity issue' and the White House is 'afraid of what folks are going to say.'" Jean-Pierre herself has talked about her role within the context of how she's an immigrant, black person, and is LGBTQ. 

Heinrich brought up in her segment on "FOX & Friends" how the White House has denied the reports, which Spencer also mentioned in his piece. As was mentioned in the New York Post report:

In response, White House deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told The Post: “Not only are these claims wildly false, but the reality is the polar opposite. Karine was never approached by anyone with such a message. She spends four hours preparing every day. And neither Jeff nor Anita did any such thing; both have been unflinchingly supportive of her.”

Bates added Friday morning: “Every press secretary uses the binder. Why is she being singled out?”

There's not merely a contrast between Jean-Pierre and Kirby, but also Jean-Pierre and Deputy White House Press Secretary Andrew Bates. Jean-Pierre has been severely lacking in her responses when it comes to addressing antisemitism in a proper and timely manner since the October 7 terrorist attack that Hamas perpetrated against Israel. More recently, this applies to addressing the pro-Hamas protesters at college campuses, including and especially at Columbia University.

The more strong condemnations of what is coming from pro-Hamas agitators has come from Bates rather than Jean-Pierre, including on Tuesday morning.