WH Says Biden ‘Has Confidence’ In Agents Who Protect Him and Family Amid Criminal Jan. 6 Secret Service Text Investigation

Amid a text message scandal that has become a criminal matter, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre made a point of expressing President Joe Biden‘s “confidence” in some members of the Secret Service.

After the news broke last week that Secret Service text messages from Jan. 5 and Jan. 6, 2021 were deleted by the agency after they were told to preserve them, the January 6 Committee demanded all relevant evidence from Secret Service Director James Murray.

This week, the Department of Homeland Security opened a criminal investigation into the deletions, and instructed Secret Service to cease all internal probes into the matter. The issue has led to chatter about the loyalties of agents who served during the insurrection.

Jean-Pierre briefed reporters Friday, joined by White House Covid coordinator Dr. Ashish Jha to help field questions about President Biden’s Covid illness. Although that was the dominant topic, a few non-Covid questions slipped through — including one about the scandal.

While the reporter couched the question as a general inquiry about record-keeping, Jean-Pierre made a point of volunteering that President Biden “has confidence” in the current protective details that serve his loved ones:

Q Just a Secret Service question.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Okay.

Q The Secret Service’s recordkeeping is obviously in the news, particularly around January 6th. This is also a cybersecurity agency as well. I know that — I’m not asking a question about specific allegations, but does the President think that a federal agency should, you know, have a system that purges texts, including around, you know, for employees that have a sensitive job such as, you know, protecting the former President of the United States, or current?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, of course we believe in following the public records rules. That is something that we believe that should be done, should be followed.

And — but I will say this, because this is, I think, important: The President has confidence in the men and women who protect not just him, but also his family.

Watch above via C-SPAN.

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