Karine Jean-Pierre walked out of the White House press briefing during a heated exchange with Fox News’ Peter Doocy over funding for Hurricane Helene victims and misinformation about the government’s response.
The duo have faced each other in previous press conferences, but Monday’s confrontation was the most intense to date. The two exchanged quickly, talking over each other at various points and arguing over what the other was saying.
It ended when Jean-Pierre slammed his briefing folder shut and left the podium, ending the briefing after 49 minutes of questions. It usually reports for about an hour.
The exchange began quite cordial. Doocy congratulated Jean-Pierre on his promotion to senior advisor to President Joe Biden and then moved on to his questions.
“The entire premise of your question is disinformation, sir,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre snapped at Fox News’ Peter Doocy.
Doocy asked him about hurricane funding and whether President Biden would take back Congress so he could allocate more money to victims.
‘President Biden likes to say: show me your budget and I’ll tell you what you value. If you have money for the people of Lebanon right now, without Congress having to come back, what does that say about your values? There is not enough money right now in North Carolina. That’s not misinformation,” Doocy said.
Jean-Pierre had spent much of his briefing rejecting false information and conspiracy theories on the Internet about hurricane relief.
There have been false claims that the relief money was only going to Democrats and conspiracy theories that the government was going to engage in a land grab.
Misinformation has caused chaos and confusion in states like Georgia and North Carolina, where electricity and cell phone service are limited.
She had called those people “bad faith actors” and said it was “wrong, dangerous and should be stopped immediately.”
Then, when Doocy asked if his question was misinformation, the White House press secretary blurted out, “The entire premise of your question is misinformation, sir.”
“Excuse me,” Doocy replied.
Jean-Pierre then described the $200 million the government sent to the affected area and other funds.
Doocy repeated his question about Biden and said ‘it’s not misinformation.’ Would you agree?
“No,” said Jean-Pierre. —Not like you ask me. The issue is misinformation.’
Doocy responded, “You can’t call a question you don’t like misinformation.”
Fox News Chief White House Correspondent Peter Doocy questions Karine Jean-Pierre at Monday’s White House press conference.
Jean-Pierre noted that he had said more funding would be needed, especially after Hurricane Milton made landfall later this week in Florida.
“That’s exactly what I just asked,” Doocy said.
But Jean-Pierre had the last word and then left.
‘What you’re asking me is why Congress needs to go back and do its job. That’s what you’re asking me. Congress needs to come back and do its job and provide additional assistance and additional funds to the Disaster Relief Fund. That is what Congress must do and we will continue to urge it. You may not want that, but that’s okay. “That’s what this president wants and that’s what the vice president wants,” he said.
With that, he slammed his briefing folder shut and said, “Thank you all.”
He left the meeting room.