‘I Think We’re Done Here’: Jen Psaki Shuts Down Reporter After Barrage of Questions on Hunter Biden
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki shut down New York Post White House correspondent Steven Nelson after a barrage of questions about President Joe Biden’s son, Hunter Biden.
At Wednesday’s White House press briefing, Nelson took advantage of the recent revival of Hunter Biden stories to quiz Psaki about the First Son. After several questions and answers, Psaki shut down the exchange when it reached the point of badgering:
Q Thanks, Jen. I’ve got a quick clarification and two questions about presidential conflicts of interest in foreign affairs.
The first brief clarification is: The New York Times reported this week that the First Son remains under criminal investigation. Does the President still intend to stay out of that case?
MS. PSAKI: Yes. It’s the Department of Justice, and I would point you to them.
Q And my two questions about conflicts of interest in foreign affairs. First, I have a question about Russia and then one about China.
On Russia: You told me last year that you were unfamiliar with the Senate report that alleged that the First Son — or a company linked to the First Son received $3.5 million from the richest woman in Russia.
Subsequent reporting indicates that President Biden, when he was Vice President, had a dinner in Georgetown with the same woman in 2015.
This — Yelena Baturina, she has not been sanctioned yet by the U.S. government. How is President Biden navigating conflicts of interest when it comes to sanctioning people who have done business with his family? And can you explain to us what this $3.5 million was for?
MS. PSAKI: I don’t have any confirmation of the accuracy of that report, so I have no more further details.
Q Can you say anything about the conflicts of interest, though — how he’s navigating those when deciding sanctions?
MS. PSAKI: What would be his conflicts of interest?
Q Well, his son’s company allegedly got $3.5 million from —
MS. PSAKI: He — which I have no confirmation of. And he has continued to sanction oligarchs more than we’ve ever sanctioned in the past. I’m not sure that’s a conflict of interest, though.
Q But she hasn’t been sanctioned, though.
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q She hasn’t been sanctioned, though. She has —
MS. PSAKI: Thank you. Go ahead.
Q I have a question about Russia now. My –
MS. PSAKI: I think we’re moving on because we got to get to more people.
Q I’m sorry. I’m sorry. We could — hold on.
MS. PSAKI: Go ahead.
Q My question about the conflict of interests when it comes to China is: Last year, the First Son’s attorney said that he divested from a Chinese investment fund controlled by Chinese state-owned entities. We have received not even basic transparency about who bought out his stake, when this happened, and how much money changed hands. Did he actually divest? And if so, can you agree to basic transparency?
MS. PSAKI: He’s a private citizen. He doesn’t work for the government. I’d point you to his representatives.
Thank you.
Q But there’s a blaring conflict of interest for his father’s role as President, dealing with China.
MS. PSAKI: I think we’re done here. Thank you very much.
Watch above via The White House.
