White House press secretary Jen Psaki appeared confused when CBS News Radio White House correspondent Steven Portnoy asked why the U.S. should not go to war with Russia at Tuesday’s press conference.
Fox News host and Daily Caller co-founder Tucker Carlson played the footage in a Thursday segment of “Tucker Carlson Tonight,” where Portnoy pushed the idea of U.S. troops setting foot in Ukraine.
“Why shouldn’t the images of the atrocities in Bucha compel a worldwide, unified coalition kinetic response?” Portnoy asked.
“You mean military war, tell me more about what you mean,” Psaki responded. Portnoy responded that he was insinuating a “direct military response” led by the U.S.
“As in bringing military troops on the ground from the United States and NATO,” the press secretary replied. (RELATED: ‘Utterly Nihilistic’: Tucker Carlson Rips ‘Idiot News Anchors’ Calling For US Military Involvement Against Russia)
“Well, the president has described outrageous things. You’ve called them atrocities. You’ve said perhaps we should brace ourselves for worse. Why not?” he pressed.
The press secretary answered that the administration will make decisions that are “in the best interest of the United States,” which means avoiding war with Russia.
Carlson mocked the reporter for suggesting war with Russia while continuing to fear COVID-19.
“Ever notice that it’s the very same people who are so personally afraid of a flu virus that they’re still wearing their little masks in public,” he said. “Those same people are the same ones who are encouraging other people’s kids to go die on a battlefield.”
President Joe Biden said in February that the U.S. will not be directly involved with Russia and urged Americans to evacuate from Ukraine. Psaki reiterated the president’s statement that there is “no scenario” where the president would deploy U.S. troops to Ukraine.