‘Come On Now!’ Biden Spox Kirby Objects To Fox Challenge At Briefing — Reporter Retorts ‘It’s an Honest Question!’

Biden NSC spokesman John Kirby took exception to a remark by Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich, who in turn protested “It’s an honest question!”

At Thursday’s White House press briefing, Heinrich asked Kirby about suspected Iranian proxy attacks, demanding to know what President Joe Biden is “waiting for” to respond:

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Jacqui.

JACQUI HEINRICH: Thank you, Karine. John, the President said that if Iran or its proxies attacked U.S. troops that we would respond. So, what is he waiting for exactly?

MR. KIRBY: He did say that.

JACQUI HEINRICH: Where is the response?

MR. KIRBY: He said that. And he said that we will —

JACQUI HEINRICH: So, repeating the warning is the response?

MR. KIRBY: Jacqui, come on now.

JACQUI HEINRICH: It’s an honest question.

MR. KIRBY: I’m not going to telegraph punches here from the podium. We have responded and retaliated in the past — quite aggressively, in fact, back in March. And as the President said: We will not hesitate to protect our troops and our facilities, but we’re going to do it at a time of our choosing in a manner of our choosing.

And the decision to do it, if we do it, is his as Commander-in-Chief and his alone.

JACQUI HEINRICH: You said that he issued a warning to the Ayatollah this morning. He talked about it yesterday. How was that warning delivered?

MR. KIRBY: I’m not going to get into that.

JACQUI HEINRICH: Can you say if there was a phone call or if there was a third party? Was there a message that was relayed after U.S. troops were injured?

MR. KIRBY: There was a direct message relayed. That’s as far as I’m going to go.

JACQUI HEINRICH: And then why were the injuries not disclosed until Tuesday?

MR. KIRBY: I’d have to refer you to the Pentagon on that.

Watch above via The White House.