Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy pushed back Friday when press secretary Jen Psaki circled back to an earlier question about crime rather than directly answering his immediate question about Chinese President Xi Jinping.
Doocy brought up the continuing investigation into the origins of the coronavirus and asked Psaki whether or not President Xi had made any effort to assist — or to provide transparency as to what the Chinese Communist government new about the virus and when they knew it — in the weeks since Biden’s virtual summit with him.
“We know [Biden] did not press [Chinese President Xi Jinping] to help w/the Covid origins investigations b/c you said that Xi just understands he’s supposed to be transparent, so in the 2+ wks since, has he helped & been transparent yet?”
Doocy: “We know [Biden] did not press [Chinese President Xi Jinping] to help w/the Covid origins investigations b/c you said that Xi just understands he’s supposed to be transparent, so in the 2+ wks since, has he helped & been transparent yet?”
Psaki says she didn’t say that pic.twitter.com/Or2Pz7dylf
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 3, 2021
“I don’t believe that’s exactly what I said,” Psaki pushed back, adding, “I believe what I said is we have pressed for this repeatedly, we will continue to, and we’ll continue to do that at a range of levels. I don’t, unfortunately, have any updates on the participation or willingness of the Chinese to add and provide additional data.”
Psaki then pivoted to a question Doocy had asked a day earlier about rampant organized retail theft and whether the administration believed that was ultimately the result of the pandemic.
“My question was about Xi. It wasn’t about that,” Doocy protested.
“Well, you asked me…about crime yesterday, so I…was going to give you a little extra information. I followed up for you!” Psaki replied.
Psaki: Since you asked me about crime yesterday & I have a little more information for you?
Doocy: My question was about Xi. It wasn’t about that.
P: Well, you asked me…about crime yesterday, so I…was going to give you a little extra information. I followed up for you! pic.twitter.com/k6hoBSMlWb
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 3, 2021
Psaki went on to say that the Justice Department and the FBI had been coordinating with local law enforcement in an effort to curtail the dramatic uptick in “smash and grab” style robberies.
Doocy thanked her for the update, promising to include it in the day’s coverage, and Psaki replied, “I look forward to seeing it on Fox later today.”
“It’s on Fox right now,” Doocy said, pointing to one of the cameras in the briefing room.
“I bet it is,” Psaki said before moving on.
Doocy: “Thank you for that. We will include that in our coverage.”
Psaki: “I look forward to seeing it on Fox later today.”
Doocy: “It’s on Fox right now, I think.” [Points at the camera]
Psaki: “I bet it is.” pic.twitter.com/T0wQ8hRMa4
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) December 3, 2021
Doocy had asked Thursday whether the White House believed the pandemic was the “root cause” of the dramatic increase in crime in recent months.
“When a huge group of criminals organizes themselves and they want to go loot a store—a CVS, Nordstorm, a Home Depot—until the shelves are clean, you think that’s because of the pandemic?” he asked.
“I think the root cause in a lot of communities is the pandemic, yes,” Psaki said.