Karine Jean-Pierre Declares ‘We Saw What Happened on Jan. 6’ When Pressed on NBC Hiring Ex-RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel

AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was asked on Monday to weigh in on NBC hiring former RNC Chair Ronna McDaniel, a decision that has led to public outcries from some of the network’s own anchors.

At a White House press conference, Jean-Pierre said she would not directly comment on McDaniel or her history of questioning the 2020 presidential election, but she did offer words about the “burden” the press has in getting out the “facts” following the Jan. 6, 2021 Capitol riot:

Look, we’re always very mindful about personnel decisions, in this instance being made by a media organization, and I’ll say a couple of things and I’ll quote the president in a second. You all heard him at the Gridiron dinner very recently, about two weekends ago, he spoke directly about the critical role that journalists play and they have in protecting our democracy by making sure that the public knows the truth, that the public knows the facts, and what he said is, “we need you, democracy is at risk, and the American people need to know in fractured times, they need a context and a perspective. They need substance to match the enormity of the task.”

It is a big task that journalists have, and we understand that and the facts and the truth are critical here. I’m not going to make on comments on that personnel decision, but more broadly speaking, it is important. It is a burden on all of us here.

Asked if there’s “room” for McDaniel in the political national discourse, Jean Pierre again said she would not comment on the specific hire, but drew back to the Capitol riot.

“I’ll answer it this way. You saw what happened on January 6. We saw what happened when 2,000 people, a mob went to the Capitol and undermined our democracy, attacked our democracy because they didn’t believe in free and fair elections,” she said.

Watch above via the White House, beginning at 1:44:57.