Jean-Pierre Roasts Peter Alexander’s Overactive Eyebrows in Throwdown Over Biden DC Crime Bill Flap

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre roasted NBC News White House correspondent Peter Alexander’s kinetic eyebrows in an exchange about President Joe Biden and a DC crime bill he plans to effectively nullify.

On Thursday, President Biden promised to sign a bill overruling a Washington, DC council law despite his belief in statehood for the district, writing on Twitter:

I support D.C. Statehood and home-rule – but I don’t support some of the changes D.C. Council put forward over the Mayor’s objections – such as lowering penalties for carjackings.

If the Senate votes to overturn what D.C. Council did – I’ll sign it.

That tweet was a hot topic at Thursday’s briefing, during which Jean-Pierre argued over and over that support for the principle of home rule is not inconsistent with deciding a question that’s put on the president’s desk on its own merits while the current system — in which Congress can overrule the district’s government — is still in place.

When Alexander became the umpteenth reporter to press her on the subject, Jean-Pierre busted on his eyebrows as she anticipated an interruption:

PETER ALEXANDER: I’ll ask you cleanly: Why would the White House say he does not support it and then he would say he is not vetoing it — instead, he is signing it? Which is to say, why should Americans believe the White House when it says it doesn’t support something if the President is going to sign it no less?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I understand the question, Peter. I’m just telling you, at this moment where we are currently with this piece of legislation that is going to be coming — this — that’s coming from the Senate, that’s going to be coming to the President’s desk, he will — he will sign it.

And, you know, it is because what is different about this — signing it — is it, as I mentioned before, the D.C. Council put forward — was put forward over the mayor’s objections. And the President wants to make sure that communities, even in D.C. — the Americans in D.C. feel safe.

PETER ALEXANDER: So let me get to the second half of that question, which is: Why should Americans believe the White House when it says it doesn’t support something, when the President is going to sign it no less?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I think what the American people, who I’ve — I just mentioned is to — to one of your colleagues, I think the American people know who Joe Biden is. I think they fundamentally —

Hold on. No, let me — wait. You got — you have your eyebrows moving and leading in, so I just wanted to make sure you give me a second to answer.

PETER ALEXANDER: I haven’t spoken, so go ahead.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I know. I’m just — you have this — this — you get — you get really excited, Peter. So I just want to make sure. I — I —

PETER ALEXANDER: These are exciting briefings.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I know. Oh, my gosh, they’re so exciting. Thrilling. Thrilling.

No, but in — with all seriousness, look, the — the American people know who Joe Biden is. He’s been around for some time, right? They fundamentally know who he is as a person.

The President, especially these last two years, have always, always put the American people first. And that’s what they should know. That’s what they should take away that he’s putting, in this case, the safety of the people of D.C. first, and he is always going to do that.

Minutes later, Jean-Pierre ribbed Alexander again about an interruption, and Alexander referenced his own expressive forehead follicles:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: But do you see — you see why I —

PETER ALEXANDER: No, I get it. No.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Let me — let me finish. No, let me —

PETER ALEXANDER: All right, I thought you were finished. I’m listening.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Let me finish.

PETER ALEXANDER: Of course.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: This is why I was saying earlier, because —

PETER ALEXANDER: My eyebrows moved.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — you tend — yeah, there you go. (Laughter.)

PETER ALEXANDER: I know.

Conservative Democratic Senators Joe Manchin (D-WV) and Jon Tester (D-MT) have put Biden on the spot by supporting the GOP bill, forcing him to decide whether or not to enact his first veto.

Watch the clip above via C-SPAN.