NEWSKarine Jean-Pierre Snaps at Reporter Who Asked About President Joe Biden's COVID Testing Regimen
Sep. 6 2023, Updated 11:36 a.m. ET
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre seemed to lose her cool after a reporter asked her a slew of questions about President Joe Biden's COVID testing regimen days after his wife, First Lady Dr. Jill Biden, tested positive for the disease.
On Monday, September 4, the White House announced that Jill is currently "experiencing only mild symptoms. She will remain at their home in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.”
The president, 80, tested that evening, and during the Tuesday, September 5, press briefing, Jean-Pierre stated that he had been tested again and would continue to be tested “on a regular cadence determined by his physician.”
Despite revealing the plan, CBS News correspondent Christina Ruffini pressed Jean-Pierre for more information, and she became visibly frustrated. "Can you explain why you can’t share or won’t share the cadence of the President’s testing with us?" she asked, to which Jean-Pierre replied, "It has nothing to not share the cadence. I just shared with you: Yesterday, he took a test, and it was negative. Today, he took a test, and it was negative. The CDC does not recommend testing every day after close contact."
"I’m just trying to apply logic here. You told us the times he tested previously, so it would be helpful if we know going forward," Ruffini shot back.
Karine Jean-Pierre got frustrated with a reporter on September 5.
Ruffini then asked whether Biden would test in the mornings or evenings going forward.
"It is up to the physician and in close consultation with the physician. The guidance from CDC recommends that the — or says it does not have to test — someone with a close contact does not have to test regularly or every day," she said.
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Karine Jean-Pierre is known for slipping up once in a while.
"There should be no confusion. We just explained that he tested — I just explained he tested yesterday," she continued. "I just explained it. I literally just explained it. CDC does not recommend testing every day. We’re following CDC guidance. I don’t have anything else for you. That is the answer that I’m giving you: in close consultation with his physician. The CDC does not recommend testing every day. That’s it."
