WATCH: Fox News Reporter Asks Biden Spox Jean-Pierre ‘Is It An Abuse For Elon Musk’ To Tweet People Should Vote Republican?
Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre if Elon Musk’s advice that Twitter users vote Republican constitutes an “abuse” of the platform.
On Monday, Musk wrote on Twitter, “To independent-minded voters: Shared power curbs the worst excesses of both parties, therefore I recommend voting for a Republican Congress, given that the Presidency is Democratic.”
At Monday’s press briefing, Heinrich asked if that tweet constituted an abuse of the platform:
MS. HEINRICH: But my last question would be about Elon Musk and Twitter, on a lighter note. Is it an abuse for Elon Musk, as the new Twitter CEO, to use the platform to tell users to vote for Republicans in the midterms?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I saw that reporting. That was earlier today, right? So, you know, I — look, I’m limited to what I can say about elections from the podium. But, broadly speaking, I can say that every eligible American has the right to make their voices heard in this year’s election. That is their right to do. And the President has often spoken about the importance of voting. And I’m just going to leave it there as to not get involved in any kind of election conversation.
Later in the briefing, Jean-Pierre was asked if the White House is any closer to deciding whether they’ll pay Musk for the Blue Check, and Jean-Pierre noted that policy is still up in the air at Twitter:
Q Okay. And then one more follow-up on Twitter and Musk. Is there any advancement of your conversations on whether or not you would actually pay for your accounts? And how does his comments today, you know, impact that decision-making process, given that he’s clearly pushing for a Republican Congress?
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I’m — I don’t have any decisions or any policy changes to preview for you at this time. I don’t want to — really want to get into hypotheticals at this time. I think there’s still some decisions being made from — from — from the company. I’m just not going to get ahead of that.
Watch above via NBC News.
