Gray Television White House correspondent Jon Decker sparred with White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre over President Joe Biden’s criticism of his predecessor’ alleged irresponsible handling of classified documents.
The president criticized former President Donald Trump for possessing over 300 classified documents in his Mar-a-Lago residence during a September interview with “60 Minutes.” He called the former president’s handling of the material “irresponsible.”
The FBI raided Mar-a-Lago in August and seized these classified documents from Trump. As with Biden, Attorney General Merrick Garland appointed a special counsel to investigate the matter.
“First of all, do you think it was proper for President Biden to comment on an ongoing DOJ investigation?” Decker asked.
“I’m going to say this and going to keep it really short today as it relates to this particular issue, as it relates to an ongoing legal matter,” Jean-Pierre said. “I’d refer you to the Department of Justice with that specific—as it relates to anything that you want to ask of us about this legal matter, I’d refer you to the White House counsel’s office. I’m gonna leave it there, I’m not going to go into it further.”
“I’m simply asking you to comment on the person you work for-” Decker said.
“I just commented, I just commented,” the press secretary pushed back. She told Decker that she answered his question during her attempt to call on another reporter. (RELATED: Doocy Asks Jean-Pierre How The President Could Be ‘That Irresponsible’ With Classified Documents)
“No you didn’t,” he said.
“Well, I did,” she answered. “That is your opinion.”
“You did not answer my question,” the reporter argued.
“It’s your opinion. That is your opinion,” she repeated.
Reporters have repeatedly questioned the press secretary on the classified documents discovered to be in Biden’s possession. The president’s personal counsel found ten documents with classification markings in the Biden Penn Center in November and more documents were retrieved from the garage at his Wilmington, Delaware, residence during a Dec. 20 search.
Biden’s special counsel Robert Sauber announced Saturday that five additional classified pages were found in the garage.
The White House has repeatedly said it takes classified information “very seriously” and is cooperating with the Department of Justice during its ongoing investigation into the material. Jean-Pierre told reporters Tuesday and Wednesday that she is being “prudent” and “consistent” about the documents and investigation.