‘I’m Sorry?!’ Fox Reporter Stuns Jean-Pierre By Asking If Biden Apologized To Trump For Calling Him ‘Threat To Democracy’

Fox Business Network correspondent Ed Lawrence stunned White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre by asking if President Joe Biden apologized to President-elect Donald Trump when the two met for the first time since Trump’s win.

A major subplot of the closing days of the campaign was the emergence of former senior Trump aides calling Trump a “fascist” and suggesting he admires Nazis — whom he was frequently accused of echoing during the race. Vice President Kamala Harris agreed with the “fascist” assessment, which was repeated on the campaign trail, while Biden has warned for years about Trump threatening democracy.

But on the heels of Trump’s surprisingly quick victory, Biden upheld a longstanding tradition by inviting Trump to the White House, meeting with him in the Oval on Wednesday. It’s a tradition that Trump broke when Biden won in 2020.

At Wednesday’s White House press briefing, Jean-Pierre did a double-take when Lawrence asked if there was an apology at the meeting, and said Biden’s criticisms “still stand”:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Ed.

ED LAWRENCE: Thanks, Karine. In — in the meeting, we saw a unified front related to a transition in the Oval Office meeting. But a lot was said on the campaign trail, like Trump is a dangerous “threat” to our country and our democracy. Was there an apology today?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m sorry?

ED LAWRENCE: Was there an apology from —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Apology from whom?

ED LAWRENCE: — from President Biden for the words — some of the words he used?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, you — an apology from the president — President Biden —

ED LAWRENCE: To President-elect Trump for some of the words that was used on the campaign trail.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look — and I’ve answered this a couple of times about a “threat to democracy” in the past week. The president is going to always feel obligated to be honest with the American people.

What he says still stands. And it’s not just him. You heard this from former staffers. You’ve heard that from the former chief of staff, John Kelly, and others. You’ve heard it directly from the president — president-elect, the former president about “enemy of the people” very, very clear — very clear.

What we want to be also very clear about is the importance of listening to the will of the American people. There was an election. It is important to respect our institution. It is important to respect the free and fair elections. And that’s what this president is doing: leading by example and putting — putting that aside and putting the American people first.

But what he said still stands. And it’s not just him. I don’t — we should not just put this at the president. His own people said this. So, I want to be really, really clear about that and not forget the facts. There are facts here that we should certainly also lift up as you’re asking me these questions.

Watch above via C-SPAN.