White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre has once again found herself in the headlines after attempting to dodge the kind of hard-hitting questions that have come to define her tenure. This time, the drama unfolded during a radio interview on WBT Radio in Charlotte, North Carolina.
The call, which veered from policy questions to personal inquiries about President Joe Biden’s health, ended abruptly with Jean-Pierre hanging up—a move that has since caused some backlash.
The interview began with the host asking, “When I told a number of people that I was talking to you today, it was interesting… They all said, ‘Would you please just ask her: ‘Does the president have dementia?'”
Jean-Pierre responded visibly taken aback, “Mark, I can’t even believe you’re asking me this question. That is incredibly offensive… For the past several years, the President’s physician has laid out very, in a comprehensive way, the President’s health.”
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“If you watch him every day, if you really pay attention to his record and what he has done, you will see exactly how focused he’s been on the American people, how historic his actions have been,” Jean-Pierre claimed.
However, the interview took a sudden turn when Jean-Pierre abruptly ended the call with a brief, “Have an amazing, amazing day,” leaving the hosts and listeners in disbelief.
“Wow. Wow! And she hung up,” the co-hosts said in an expected conclusion of the conversation.
Discussions around Joe Biden’s mental acuity have been a point of contention for years. Many have raised questions about his cognitive health, citing gaffes and moments of apparent forgetfulness during public appearances.
Born in 1942, Biden is the oldest president in U.S. history. The White House, along with Biden’s personal physician, has periodically released medical reports to attest to his overall health and fitness for office.
In February this year, the White House released an update on Biden’s health, affirming his capability to fully execute his presidential duties without any exemptions or accommodations. According to the report by his physician Dr. Kevin C. O’Connor, Biden was considered “fit for duty.”
The assessment included details on Biden’s health, including the use of an airway pressure machine for sleep apnea symptoms, a history of a basal cell carcinoma removal that did not require further treatment, and routine exercise. Biden was described as a “healthy, active, robust 81-year-old,” who exercises at least five days a week.
After the medical examination last month, Biden confidently addressed the press at the White House, assuring them that “everything’s squared away,” adding that his doctors believe he appears “too young.”
“There is nothing different than last year,” Biden claimed. “Everything’s great.”
“He was happy with how everything went,” Jean-Pierre said shortly after O’Connor’s report. Amid questions about the necessity of a cognitive test for Joe Biden, she firmly dismissed such notions.
Jean-Pierre stated that, according to his physician and a consulting neurologist, Biden does not require a cognitive assessment.
The White House Press Secretary further elaborated on Biden’s mental acuity, stating, “Biden ‘passes a cognitive test every day,'” and referred to his adeptness in navigating complex topics. “He constantly ‘moves from one topic to another topic, understanding the granular level of these topics.'”