CNN host grills Karine Jean-Pierre over Biden’s mental acuity: 'Why didn’t you raise concerns?'

WASHINGTON, DC: Former White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre faced tough questioning from CNN anchor Brianna Keilar on Friday, October 24, as she defended former President Joe Biden’s mental fitness amid mounting reports about his cognitive decline during his time in office.

During a segment on 'CNN News Central', Keilar confronted Jean-Pierre over allegations detailed in a recent book co-authored by CNN’s Jake Tapper, which claimed that Biden’s cabinet members had grown increasingly concerned about his ability to lead, especially in moments of crisis.

Karine Jean-Pierre says she didn't have any concerns over Biden's mental acuity

Brianna Keilar referenced accounts suggesting that Joe Biden often appeared confused and unresponsive in high-pressure situations.

“I mean, we’re talking 2023, 2024. Why didn’t you have concerns? Why didn’t you raise them?” Keilar asked Jean-Pierre, referring to reports that Biden had failed to recognize George Clooney at a 2023 fundraiser and was considered unreliable for emergency decisions late at night.

Jean-Pierre, who served as Biden’s press secretary until his departure from the White House, dismissed the concerns outright. “So I did not have any concerns. I saw him on a daily basis, Brianna,” she said. “You know that. I saw him every day. I engaged with him every day.”

While she acknowledged that Biden “showed age,” Jean-Pierre insisted he was “sharp” and “deeply involved” in his policy agenda.

“This is a president that pushed his staff. This is a president that was on top of what the policies [were] that he cared about, that were important to the American people,” she further said. “And let’s not forget, he also was leading a coalition, an international coalition when it came to something that we hadn’t seen in decades, when it came to the war in Ukraine. There was a lot going on.”

Karine Jean-Pierre asked whether she thinks Biden should be president now

As Karine Jean-Pierre continued to defend Joe Biden’s record, Brianna Keilar cut in with a blunt question: “Do you think he should be president right now? Do you think that he is capable right now of being president?”

The question, referencing Biden’s advanced age and his decision to seek reelection before withdrawing from the race in 2024, seemed to catch Jean-Pierre off guard.

“Yeah. I did not see anything that concerned me when he decided to run for president,” Jean-Pierre replied. “This is someone that I saw every single day. Again, he was on top of the policies. He was sharp.”

Biden's prostate cancer diagnosis raises new questions

Concerns over Joe Biden’s health reignited in May when his personal office revealed that the 82-year-old had been diagnosed with prostate cancer. Medical experts later suggested the condition may have existed during his presidency, sparking further debate about transparency in the administration.

Despite his diagnosis, Biden continued to defend his record, pointing to his handling of international crises and domestic economic recovery. However, internal White House accounts and media reports described long stretches of disengagement and confusion, particularly during evening hours, incidents that fueled growing calls for clarity about his capacity to lead.

Karine Jean-Pierre stands by her former boss

Karine Jean-Pierre ended the interview by reiterating her trust in Joe Biden’s leadership. 

“He was someone that cared about what the outcome of the issues that were in front of the American people [were] and what we were doing,” she said. “I’m speaking from my own personal opinion. I’m speaking from what I saw on a day-to-day basis.”