White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre appeared to indicate on Tuesday that President Joe Biden would not be directly or immediately contacted by the Pentagon if a nuclear weapon was launched against the United States late at night.
On Tuesday, Peter Doocy, a Fox News White House correspondent, asked Jean-Pierre to explain who would be contacted if a nuclear weapon was launched against the United States while Biden was sleeping in light of recent reports that suggest the president is only able to work limited hours and has even skipped important meetings for rest.
“He also said he’s sharpest before 8 p.m.,” Doocy said. “So, say that the Pentagon at some point picks up an incoming nuke. It’s 11 p.m. Who do you call? The First Lady?”
In response to Doocy’s question, Jean-Pierre explained, “He has a team that lets him know of any news that is pertinent and important to the American people. He has someone… that is decided obviously with his National Security Council on who gets to tell him that news.”
Investigative reporter Drew Hernandez shared the video of the White House press secretary’s comments on X, formerly Twitter, alongside a critical warning to Americans.
READ MORE: Video: Biden contradicts his own press secretary: Report
“The White House just admitted if a nuke launched at America after 11pm that the pentagon wouldn’t directly contact the President,” Hernandez tweeted. “KJP openly admits it has to go through his team first before it gets to the President in that scenario.” The investigative reporter added a warning to the American people, saying, “We are cooked.”
In response to Tuesday’s video, one social media user tweeted, “In other words the US does not currently have a commander-in-chief. Got it.”
Commenting on the “team” that Jean-Pierre mentioned on Tuesday, another social media account wrote, “Cool, the country is being run by a group of unelected bureaucrats.”
A third social media user pushed for more answers, tweeting, “Who are the unelected decision makers on the after hours crisis team in the White House?”
