White House press secretary Jen Psaki dodged a question about the nationwide crime surge during a press briefing Monday.
Senior Daily Caller White House correspondent Shelby Talcott pointed to President Joe Biden’s low approval numbers on crime and asked Psaki if this was an indication to the administration that “Democrats are out of touch when it comes to criminal justice and safety.”
Psaki answered by immediately bringing up former President Trump, claiming there was “a record jump in murders under the former president” and the FBI has not released new crime data. (RELATED: Pelosi Says She Has No Idea Where America’s Increase In Crime Is Coming From)
“Our view is that instead of turning this into a political football, we need to be focused … on reducing crime and keeping our communities safe. And that’s why he’s been a long-time advocate for more accountable community policing,” Psaki said.
She then listed several actions Biden has taken against “rogue gun dealers” and ghost guns. “His objective is to work with Democrats, Republicans, mayors, and local leaders to work to address what we’ve seen as increases in crime in some areas,” the press secretary said.
Psaki closed her response by again implying the rise in crime originated during the Trump administration. “I would just note that, nationwide, there has been an increases (sic) in crime over the past few years.”
GOP Chairwoman Ronna McDaniel pointed out Sunday that Biden’s approval among black Americans has slipped during the crime wave.
Biden’s approval rating among Black Americans has dropped by 20 points since April.
Crime has surged, inflation is rampant, and Biden has supported vaccine mandates that ban hundreds of thousands of Black Americans from restaurants and other indoor spaces.
— Ronna McDaniel (@GOPChairwoman) January 30, 2022
Psaki recently expressed confusion about the attention the crime wave is garnering during an interview on the “Pod Save America” podcast.
As of Jan. 31, Biden is facing a 41% overall approval rating, according to Rasmussen Reports.