Karine Jean-Pierre clashes with Fox News reporter over Biden's health, Internet says stop 'gaslighting America'

LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich engaged in a tense back-and-forth on Wednesday over President Joe Biden’s recent debate performance and the reasons behind it.

The White House has attributed Biden's hoarse voice and admitted poor performance to jet lag and a cold. Heinrich, however, was skeptical, questioning how these factors could still affect him days later.

Scrutiny over Biden's resilience amidst cold and fatigue

“How is it that the president was still tired 12 days after returning from Europe, had a cold but then went to a Waffle House and then the following day staged such a huge comeback when he gave those North Carolina remarks. Help us understand —” Heinrich began to ask before Jean-Pierre interjected.

“Have you had a cold before?” Jean-Pierre asked Heinrich.

“Of course I’ve had a cold before,” Heinrich replied.

The exchange continued with Jean-Pierre explaining that mentioning Biden's cold was in response to media inquiries and not an excuse for his debate performance. She stressed that despite challenges like jet lag and illness, Biden remains dedicated to his duties.

“There’s a cold. There’s a jet lag. You combine that. He continues to work for the American people day in and day out around the clock. Things happen. And the cold thing is something that you all pointed out during his debate. We didn’t point that out. You pointed that out his voice being hoarse,” Jean-Pierre said.

Democratic concerns and speculation on Biden's future presidency

Heinrich pushed back, referencing Democratic concerns about Biden's condition and potential succession by Vice President Kamala Harris.

“We didn’t share that information ahead of time. You all asked what was going on and then we shared that information,” Jean-Pierre clarified.

Heinrich then asked about discussions regarding Biden suspending his campaign and potentially resigning from office, with Vice President Kamala Harris stepping in.

“Absolutely not,” Jean-Pierre responded before swiftly moving on.

The heated exchange took place during a White House press conference, occurring just minutes after reports surfaced on social media about reassurances from Biden and Harris to their team regarding the president's electoral plans amid internal party discussions.

Public reactions highlight controversy around Biden's debate performance

Public reactions to the exchange between Karine Jean-Pierre and Jacqui Heinrich reflected a range of opinions and skepticism.

One user said, "She's got a pretty tough job right now."

Another user added, "Thanks for proving her point."

One user replied, "A cold can be debilitating for a dementia patient."

Another user said, "'Have You Had a Cold Before?' Still trying to gaslight America."

One commented, "Next they'll tell us that Joe just had brain freeze from all of that ice cream 🍦."

One added, "It's just ridiculous. Like these reporters have never had a cold and been jet lagged 12 days after a trip? I know men half his age who need a good 3 weeks to overcome jet lag. Come on, man."

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