White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki declined to say whether President Biden supports a Senate impeachment trial and conviction for former President Donald Trump in her first briefing Wednesday.
Fox News Reporter Peter Doocy asked whether Biden’s stated devotion to recovering national unity meant he opposed an attempt to convict Trump in the Senate on his second impeachment. Psaki said Biden had already condemned Trump for his role in allegedly inciting a pro-Trump mob to storm the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6.
“We are confident, though, that just like the American people can, the Senate can also multitask. They can do their constitutional duty while continuing to do the business of the American people,” Psaki said. “His view is that the way to bring the country together is to address the problems we’re facing.”
Media tries pressing Psaki on how much Biden will focus on Trump’s impeachment trial.
“He’s going to leave it to members of Congress to carry out their constitutional duty and determine what the path forward is.”
— Natasha Korecki (@natashakorecki) January 21, 2021
Psaki once again gave an open-ended answer when asked if Biden supported barring Trump from seeking further federal office. (RELATED: ‘I Will Be A President For All Americans’: President Joe Biden Pledges Unity In Inaugural Address)
“[Biden] has spoken very firmly and fiercely, publicly about his views on the horrific events on Jan. 6,” Psaki said. “But he is going to leave it to members of Congress to carry out their constitutional duty and determine what the path forward is.”
Psaki’s answers mirrored Biden’s message on impeachment prior to Inauguration Day, in which he said impeaching Trump is a decision for Congress, but that he wants Congress available to vote on his agenda.
Trump left office Wednesday morning. He snubbed Biden’s inauguration in favor of holding a military sendoff at Andrews Air Force Base. Vice President Mike Pence in turn chose to attend Biden’s inauguration rather than the sendoff.
Trump did leave a private note to Biden on the Resolute Desk before departing the White House for the last time as president. Biden later described the note as “very generous,” but declined to reveal what Trump had written.
“The president wrote a very generous letter, but because it is private I will not talk about it until I talk to him,” Biden said in response to reporters’ questions. “It was generous.”
Psaki says she will return to the tradition of daily briefings at the White House, excluding weekends.