(WatchDogReport.org) – White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre delivered a dense array of misinformation on January 16th in an audio-only press briefing. She falsely claimed that the Texas Military Department hindered US Border Patrol agents trying to rescue a migrant family from drowning, a story already disavowed by the Department of Justice and Texas Governor Greg Abbott.
Additionally, Jean-Pierre falsely asserted that police officers died due to injuries sustained during the Capitol riot on January 6, 2021. Contrary to her claim, the only death directly linked to the riot was that of participant Ashli Babbitt, who was shot by a plainclothes officer.
White House press secretaries are often accused of bending the truth, but Jean-Pierre’s latest display was particularly deceptive. Jen Psaki, the previous incumbent, has not clarified her role in misleading the public about White House ethical procedures concerning Hunter Biden’s art. Currently, she serves as a host on MSNBC, perceived by some as a Democratic National Committee propaganda platform.
Critics suggest that Psaki, like others in her role, may be motivated by the lucrative salary for presenting a version of the truth that aligns with the administration’s narrative. Facial expressions during press briefings, including a frequent “I don’t have anything on that” expression, raise suspicions of deceit.
The question arises: Why do newsrooms invest substantial resources in covering these press briefings, which have seemingly become an exercise in dishonesty and spin? The daily briefing appears more as a game than a genuine avenue for factual disclosure. White House press secretaries seem to exist primarily to shield the chief executive, even if it entails deception.
Reflecting on past administrations, examples abound of misleading statements. In 2013, Obama spokesman Jay Carney defended the false promise, crowned the “Lie of the Year,” that individuals could keep their health care plans. In 2016, Obama spokesman Josh Earnest promoted the Russia-collusion falsehood, and in 2017, Trump spokesman Sean Spicer falsely claimed the inauguration had the “largest audience ever.”
The pattern persists: White House press secretaries serve to spin, mislead, and, increasingly, deceive, perpetuating a cycle of mistrust in the pursuit of protecting the chief executive.
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