President Biden was not briefed on Monday night's raid on Mar-a-Lago before it happened, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Tuesday.
In response to questions from reporters, Jean-Pierre said that the "Justice department conducts investigations independently," that Biden believes "that those investigations should be free from political influence," and that the president "learned about" the raid "from public reports" just like everyone else.
She also had a tense exchange with Fox News' Peter Doocy. "Is there a concern here that — if you guys don't say more — that these Republicans, who are accusing this White House of weaponizing the Justice Department and weaponizing the FBI, are — that that's going to become the public sentiment if you guys don't say, once and for all, 'We are not doing that'?" he asked.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
"First of all, we're just not going to comment on the Department of Justice investigation," Jean-Pierre responded.
Doocy pressed further, asking, "Is this White House weaponizing the Justice Department and the FBI against political opponents?" In response, Jean-Pierre referred Doocy to Biden's remarks on Jan. 7, 2021, when the president-elect called for an independent, apolitical Justice Department, loyal "not to me" but "to the law."
The FBI executed a search warrant at former President Donald Trump's Mar-a-Lago resort in Palm Beach, Florida, on Monday evening. "Nothing like this has ever happened to a president of the United States before," Trump said, adding that "such an assault could only take place in broken, Third World countries."
Continue reading for free
We hope you're enjoying The Week's refreshingly open-minded journalism.
Subscribed to The Week? Register your account with the same email as your subscription.
-
'A teetering democracy of gerontocrats?'Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Every 'Saw' film, ranked
The Explainer The highs and lows of the gory horror soap opera
-
Why did the Hadrian’s Wall tree mean so much to us?
Talking Point Teenager arrested after Sycamore Gap tree felled overnight
-
'A teetering democracy of gerontocrats?'
Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'Labour risks making private schools a conclave for the super-rich'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
Will the cannabis banking bill get the Senate's green light?
Talking Point The SAFER Banking Act is advancing to the US Senate for the first time, clearing a major hurdle for legal cannabis businesses. Does it stand a chance?
-
'Companies can't make a profit and can't keep employees safe'
Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'America's conservative party has collapsed'
Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'Biden must be embarrassed he didn't think of this first'
Instant opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'Firearm officers need to know the law is on their side'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
-
'Single people are ignored by politicians'
Instant Opinion Opinion, comment and editorials of the day
