Fox News Reporter Asks Biden Spox Psaki if She Will Apologize for Space Force Remarks
Fox News White House correspondent Kristin Fisher asked Press Secretary Jen Psaki if she would apologize for remarks she made when she was asked about Space Force during Tuesday’s briefing.
At issue was an exchange in which Psaki was asked if President Joe Biden has “made a decision on keeping, or keeping the scope of, Space Force?”, and the press secretary said, with a laugh, “Wow. Space Force. It’s the plane of today!”
The quip was an apparent reference to a question about Air Force One’s color scheme from Psaki’s first day on the job.
She added “It is an interesting question. I am happy to check with our Space Force point of contact. I’m not sure who that is. I will find out, and see if we have any update on that.”
That remark drew a demand for an apology from Rep. Mike Rogers of Alabama, and was also followed by a tweet from Psaki on the importance of the Trump-championed military branch.
We look forward to the continuing work of Space Force and invite the members of the team to come visit us in the briefing room anytime to share an update on their important work.
— Jen Psaki (@PressSec) February 3, 2021
At Wednesday’s briefing, Fisher pressed the point.
“The top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee is asking you to apologize for some of the comments that you made yesterday in the briefing room about the Space Force,” Fisher said, and asked “Will you apologize?”
“I did send a tweet last night, you may not all be on Twitter, maybe they’re not on Twitter,” Psaki quipped, pointing toward space, and added “that said we invite the members of Space Force here to provide an update to all of you on all of the important work they’re doing, and we certainly look forward to seeing continued updates from their team.”
“Big picture here, does the Space Force have the full support of the Biden administration, or is the president at some point perhaps going to try to get rid of it or in some way diminish it?” Fisher asked.
Psaki replied that “They absolutely have the full support of the Biden administration,” and pointed out that Congress created the Space Force, and would be responsible for any changes in its status.
Watch the clip above via CNN.
