Outgoing White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre recently demonstrated a noticeable change in the Biden-Harris administration’s rhetoric toward President-elect Donald Trump. The change was so apparent that the left-leaning news network CNN even had to call it out during a recent press briefing, questioning why President Joe Biden has seemingly abandoned the narrative that Trump is an existential threat to the nation.
CNN senior White House correspondent MJ Lee asked KJP, “It’s been, you know, more than two weeks since the election. This was an election that elected a man that President Biden has repeatedly referred to as an existential threat. So why is it that the American people have not heard President Biden talk about this threat since the election.”
Jean-Pierre replied, “Because there was an election and the American people spoke. The will of the American people are very clear.” KJP added that the administration must respect the results of the election and coordinate a peaceful transfer of power. “And so the President is now in a situation where we have to do peaceful transfer of power,” she said.
Building on this point, she said, “We have to respect the American people, and that’s what you have to see from this president, trying to lead by example, to make sure that that happens, and that’s what the American people deserve. That’s what the President deserved, and that’s what I think he was very clear about in the Rose Garden. He delivered his remarks two days after the election, and he said it was very honest. He said these, you know, again, I’m not quoting him exactly, but these were not the results that we had wanted, right?”
Continuing, the press secretary said, “And that’s just being honest. They weren’t. But we are now in a position where we he believes he has to lead by example and show what a peaceful transfer of power looks like. And so that’s what you’re seeing from this president.” KJP further acknowledged the pressing questions she has received surrounding Biden’s rhetoric about Trump. “And you know, to the points that you made, you know, I’ve been asked about existential threat. I’ve been asked about threat to our Democracy. The president is always going to be honest with the American people. He feels that he is obligated what he said still stands.”
“But we are now in a different place,” KJP stated. Continuing to emphasize the will of the American voters, she added, “The American people spoke. They deserve a peaceful transfer of power. That’s what this president wants to do.” However, Lee further pressed KJP, asking, Does he have a message for people on what they should do about this existential threat? Assuming that he still believes Donald Trump is an existential threat.”
Suggesting that Biden still believes Trump is a threat to the nation, KJP responded, “His thoughts, and what he said is his thinking on that has not changed. It has not and I think he was very clear about what he believes should have been done or how we should move forward. How you know, he was very clear knowing those moments that he spoke about it, right now, right now he wants to leave by example and talk and show the American people what it looks like to have an efficient, effective, transfer of power and he believes that is what the American people deserve.”
Note: The featured image is a screenshot from the embedded video.
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