03:25USA: 'He said: I didn't know' - WH press secretary grilled on Biden's classified documents row
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeated claims that US President Joe Biden 'did not know’ that classified documents were at his residency, during a press briefing in Washington DC on Monday.
"He says 'I take this very seriously', he said 'I didn't know that the documents were there' and look I think as it relates to the American people and the president standing with the American people, it is going to be up to them to decide how they see this president," she told reporters.
An FBI search of Biden’s Delaware home on Friday uncovered more files, in addition to those already found at both his house and his private office.
"The president has said many times he takes this very seriously. You’ve heard directly from him. You (the reporter) just said that his team is co-operating fully. And just want to add, you know, and you heard from his team, that the FBI was invited into the president’s home. I’m not going to go beyond that," she continued.
Jean-Pierre also confirmed that Biden 'intends to run' for a second term at the next election and refused to be drawn by a question on whether "there [was] a precedent for people running for president after FBI agents search their sock drawer."
"He’s going to focus on continuing to deliver for the American people. That’s his focus. That’s what he focuses on every day. That’s what he’s been focusing on for the last two years. And nothing is going to change that," she stated.
The press secretary also expressed the president and first lady's condolences for those killed in the mass shooting in Monterey Park on Saturday.
Former president Donald Trump - who could run against Biden in 2024 - is subject to a similar Department of Justice investigation over his own handling of classified material, which involved an FBI raid on his home in Mar-a-Lago. Biden previously said Trump had been 'irresponsible'.
03:25White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre repeated claims that US President Joe Biden 'did not know’ that classified documents were at his residency, during a press briefing in Washington DC on Monday.
"He says 'I take this very seriously', he said 'I didn't know that the documents were there' and look I think as it relates to the American people and the president standing with the American people, it is going to be up to them to decide how they see this president," she told reporters.
An FBI search of Biden’s Delaware home on Friday uncovered more files, in addition to those already found at both his house and his private office.
"The president has said many times he takes this very seriously. You’ve heard directly from him. You (the reporter) just said that his team is co-operating fully. And just want to add, you know, and you heard from his team, that the FBI was invited into the president’s home. I’m not going to go beyond that," she continued.
Jean-Pierre also confirmed that Biden 'intends to run' for a second term at the next election and refused to be drawn by a question on whether "there [was] a precedent for people running for president after FBI agents search their sock drawer."
"He’s going to focus on continuing to deliver for the American people. That’s his focus. That’s what he focuses on every day. That’s what he’s been focusing on for the last two years. And nothing is going to change that," she stated.
The press secretary also expressed the president and first lady's condolences for those killed in the mass shooting in Monterey Park on Saturday.
Former president Donald Trump - who could run against Biden in 2024 - is subject to a similar Department of Justice investigation over his own handling of classified material, which involved an FBI raid on his home in Mar-a-Lago. Biden previously said Trump had been 'irresponsible'.