‘That Is Freaking Amazing!’ Briefing Room Cracks Up As Biden Spox Kirby Gets Stoked At Sports-Themed Ringtone

Reporters cracked up as Biden National Security Counsel spokesman John Kirby expressed stokedness at a sports-themed ringtone that interrupted the first question of the briefing.

Kirby joined White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre at Monday’s White House press briefing, a regular occurrence that has become much more regular since the October 7 coordinated terrorist assault on Israel by Hamas, and the Israel-Hamas war that has followed.

As has also been the case for several weeks, the war was a dominant topic at Monday’s briefing, a briefing which began with a moment of uncharacteristic, if welcome, levity.

After remarks from both Jean-Pierre and Kirby at the top, Associated Press White House correspondent Zeke Miller had the first question, but before he could get his question out — as sometimes happens — a loud and unusual cellphone ringtone went off.

Instead of a song or the sort of jangling alert you’d expect, the roar of a race car engine (presumably NASCAR) filled the briefing room, drawing laughs from the other reporters and an appreciative exclamation from Kirby:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Zeke.

(A cellphone rings.)

Q Thank you, John. Over — over the weekend, we saw the —

MR. KIRBY: I think that is, like, the coolest ringtone. (Laughter.) I am a NASCAR fan, so, like, that — (laughter) — you’ve got to tell me where you got that, man, because that is — that is —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: That’s a first.

MR. KIRBY: That is freaking amazing.

Q Sorry.

Q So, over the weekend, we saw the stepped-up Israel ground offensive in Gaza. Does the U.S., at this point, consider that a — the President spoke with Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday. Does he consider it an invasion of Gaza at this point?

As sports-themed digressions are concerned, it could have been worse — or better, depending on your disposition toward Swifties.

Watch above via The White House.