Jen Psaki Clashes With Fox News Reporter, Asks Her to Name a Single Republican Criticizing Biden’s Foreign Policy

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich clashed on Friday during a question and answer exchange over President Joe Biden’s foreign policy.

Psaki took questions following a briefing from National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, who issued an urgent plea for Americans to evacuate Ukraine as the threat of a Russian invasion is believed to be imminent.

“If we don’t know Putin has made up his mind, why are we hearing this warning from Jake Sullivan that Americans should get out, ideally in the next 24 to 48 hours? I don’t believe we have heard that window before,” Heinrich asked Psaki to begin the exchange.

Psaki explained some of the unknowns regarding Putin’s decision-making but said, “we want to be very clear and direct with American citizens about the risk that that would pose to them, that the risk that would be posed to any civilian if they remain in the country.”

Heinrich then tried to interject Afghanistan into the exchange. “This is now the second evacuation of Americans–” the Fox News reporter started to ask before Psaki cut her off.

“It is not actually an evacuation, to be clear. American citizens can depart Ukraine, there are means of departing Ukraine. This is not a country where we are at war. We have not had tens of thousands of troops fighting a war for 20 years, so it’s incredibly different,” Psaki shot back.

“Correct. You are correct in that. But it’s the second time we have urged American citizens to get out of a country,” Heinrich started, before being cut off again.

“Actually, we have urged American citizens to depart a number of times,” Psaki started as the two spoke over each other. “But let me finish here because I think it’s important for people to understand. We urged American citizens to depart Kazakhstan, urged American citizens to depart Ethiopia,” Psaki continued, explaining other State Department calls for evacuation around the world and their importance to those countries.

Heinrich finally managed to turn the conversation to Afghanistan, asking, “The president has frequently talked about getting out of Afghanistan as a major event. Impacted his polling, this is a current event underway. The question is, what does the administration say to critics who are looking at these two events and questioning the administration’s foreign policy approach?”

“Who is questioning us?” shot back Psaki.

“Plenty of Republicans,” rebutted Heinrich. “I could name off any number of Republicans.”

“Like who? I would love to know a name,” said Psaki.

“Goodness, Mitch McConnell,” said Heinrich, offering an example.

Psaki responded with a lengthy answer:

Ok, here’s what I would say to Mr. McConnell. The president ended a 20-year war in Afghanistan, a war that had cost us thousands of American lives, billions, trillions of dollars, and was a failed enterprise after 20 years. He was the first president to do that after many predecessors failed to take exactly that step. We knew it would be complicated, we knew it would be challenging, he had the courage to get our troops out of there and end a 20-year war.

This is entirely different. We are not ending a 20-year war. We are trying to prevent war here, trying to keep American citizens safe in Ukraine by encouraging them to depart, by providing them information about what the security circumstances are on the ground. And I think it’s important for the American public to understand the significant differences between these different scenarios.

McConnell has voiced support for Biden’s approach to Ukraine, previously saying he believes the president “is moving in the right direction.”