White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said at Monday’s White House press briefing that she would follow up on her promises to “circle back” to questions from the press that she was previously unable to answer.
After giving an update from the administration, Psaki took time to address some of those previous questions before giving reporters in the room an opportunity to ask new questions. (RELATED: Jen Psaki Shrugs Off CBS Reporter For Refusing To Name Anonymous Democrats)
“I often note I’m going to circle back. I hate to disappoint conservative Twitter, but I’m going to circle back on a number of things, as we often do directly,” Psaki stated, before reading various follow up answers.
Psaki’s continued suggestions that she would “circle back” to questions has become a running joke after she began consistently using the phrase to avoid answering a question at the time it was asked. She has received heat from some on Twitter, including conservatives and Republicans, using her phrase to poke fun at her, as well as criticize her.
Why is Jen Psaki still giving press briefings on federal property without a mask?
Can she circle back to us on that?
— Lauren Boebert (@laurenboebert) January 30, 2021
Let’s circle back to why @kayleighmcenany was so much better prepared. https://t.co/RDPKla6sz0
— Dan Crenshaw (@DanCrenshawTX) February 1, 2021
This “circle back” thing has extended to the liberal press corps as a point of mocking conservatives and defending their bestie Jen Psaki.
Here was NBC’s Geoff Bennett invoking “circle back” and playfully asking if he can use the term himself. pic.twitter.com/xjvbKCpCAo
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) February 1, 2021
The joke finally came “full circle.”https://t.co/gCwBFlGHOW
— Kyle Becker (@kylenabecker) January 29, 2021
Some members of the White House press corps also poked fun by continuously using the same phrase when asking their questions, including NBC’s Geoff Bennett who said, “Quickly, can I circle back, to use that phrase, to a question I asked during the transition?”
“Anybody can steal it,” Psaki responded laughing.