For the second time in as many days, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to call out Rep. Pramila Jayapal (D-WA) over her calls for “balance” in criticizing Hamas terrorists for using rape and sexual violence as weapons of war against Israeli women.
Jean-Pierre made an appearance on Tuesday on ABC’s midday talk show “The View,” and several of the show’s co-hosts asked her about the reports of Hamas engaging in the widespread use of rape and sexual violence to torture Israeli women during the October 7 massacre.
WATCH:
White House @PressSec Karine Jean-Pierre discusses the administration's ongoing conversations with Israel and condemns reports of Hamas engaging in rape and sexual violence: "When you use rape as a form of a weapon of war, that's reprehensible." pic.twitter.com/dpeOYhlZjg
— The View (@TheView) December 5, 2023
Jean-Pierre responded to a question from co-host Sara Haines be reiterating the White House’s condemnation of Hamas’ brutality, saying, “When you use rape as a form of a weapon of war, that’s reprehensible.”
Co-host Alyssa Farah Griffin pressed the issue, referencing the comments Jayapal made during her Sunday appearance on CNN’s “State of the Union.”
“The White House has been very unequivocal, as you just were, about the sexual violence carried out against Israeli women,” Griffin said. “The House Democrats are planning to introduce a resolution this week, both condemning the use of rape in war against Israeli women, seemingly in response to [the] Progressive Caucus chairwoman’s comments this past weekend. Rep. Jayapal basically saying we need to be balanced in our criticism, which seemed, was interpreted by many, myself included, to downplay the horrors of the actions of October 7. Does the White House support this resolution, and do you think the representative needs to clarify her remarks?”
“So, look, I’m going to let the representative speak for herself. I just can’t speak for her. I speak for the president of the United States. I am the White House press secretary, obviously, so that’s who I speak for,” Jean-Pierre replied. “When it comes to rape, that’s reprehensible. When it comes to using rape as a weapon of war, that’s reprehensible. We are very, very clear about denouncing Hamas’ actions. And that’s what the president has been clear about.”
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Griffin tried again to get Jean-Pierre to say something about Jayapal’s statement, asking, “Do you think because of her perch, though, as a progressive leader, she should clarify her remarks?”
Jean-Pierre didn’t budge, instead just repeating, “I speak for the president. She has to speak for herself. We have been very, very clear, very clear.”
Jean-Pierre was pressed on the same issue during Monday’s White House press briefing, but would not comment on Jayapal’s interview then either.