Jean-Pierre Says Trump Bombshell Very Concerning ‘If It’s True’ — ‘Can’t Confirm’ Calls With Putin

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said bombshell revelations about former President Donald Trump’s phone calls with Vladimir Putin are very concerning “if true” but said she could not confirm the calls.

According to Bob Woodward’s upcoming book War, “there have been multiple phone calls between Trump and Putin, maybe as many as seven in the period since Trump left the White House in 2021.”

At Wednesday’s White House press briefing, Jean-Pierre was asked about Woodward’s reporting several times. Each time, she condemned the action — “if it is true” — and when pressed about US intel, would only say “I cannot confirm any of those calls”:

Q And quickly, on another topic, on the reporting in that book that he — that former President Trump spoke with Vladimir Putin at least seven times since leaving office, is that appropriate?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, we’re not aware of those calls. I certainly can’t confirm any of those calls from here, but it if — but if it is indeed true, are we concerns? Do we have serious concerns? Yes, if it is true. Again, I cannot confirm any of those calls.

Let’s not forget, it is concerning, especially when we know the former president was lobbying against more aid for Ukraine — to Ukraine to defend themselves against Russia’s aggression.

So, if true, it is concerning. But again, I want to be really clear, I cannot confirm any of these calls.

Q But is it — how is it possible that the intelligence community wouldn’t know that —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I can’t —

Q — a former president spoke with Putin?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I hear you. I just cannot confirm those calls happened.

Q And the president has not been briefed on this?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I cannot confirm any of these calls were true.

Later in the briefing, Jean-Pierre was pressed again by a reporter suggesting Trump is conducting “shadow” diplomacy:

Q Thanks, Karine. Going back to the reporting in the — the Woodward book.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q If former President Trump has been speaking to President Putin — he’s also had calls and meetings with other foreign leaders, both since he left office and since he announced his latest campaign for the presidency — is the administration at all concerned that he appears to be running a — a shadow foreign policy while campaigning for president against —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q — the incumbent administration?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And so, look, I’m going to give you the same answer that I give to Aamer here, which is, as we know, it’s one president at a — at a time. That is how we do our business here in this country, as you know very — very clearly.

Look — and I said, if there was a — we cannot confirm this — if there was a call with President Putin, if that is indoo- — indeed true, yeah, there are concerns, especially when you had the former president lobbying against Ukraine aid. Yeah.

But I cannot confirm that. I cannot confirm those calls.

Q What about hi- — his meetings with foreign leaders such as Viktor Orbán, who has opposed aid to Ukraine as well? Is — is —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m going to let the for- — the former president speak to his calls with world leaders. I’m not going to dive into that.

But what I will say is that this president is focused at — at what’s at hand, right? He had a conversation with the prime minister — 30 minutes, as I stated, half an hour. It was direct. It was very much honest. It was to show that, you know, we’re going to continue to have those discussions with Israel on how they’re going to respond after Iran’s attack last week. You saw what this administration, what this president directed his military to do. And our commitment to Israel’s security continues to be ironclad.

That is what I can speak to, and that is what we’re focused on.

Q One — one more —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And as you know, we have a hurricane, Milton, that’s coming, and you heard from the president. So, he has a lot to focus on —

Q Right. And one —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — and that —

Q One —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — and as a — as his le- — as a leader, that’s what he’s going to do.

Watch above via The White House.

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