‘Who’s Right?’ Peter Alexander Confronts Karine Jean-Pierre Over Biden And DHS Sec’s Disagreement Over Border Wall

NBC News’ Peter Alexander confronted White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre over a disagreement between President Joe Biden and his own Department of Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas on Thursday afternoon, asking her to give a pronouncement on “who’s right?”

“There is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entries into the United States in the project areas,” wrote Mayorkas in a notice waiving 26 federal laws in order to resume construction on wall along the southern border.

Biden, on the other hand, insisted that such barriers are not effective when asked about DHS’s action.

Alexander quizzed Jean-Pierre about their differing evaluations, as well as the timing of the decision:

PETER ALEXANDER: You said that it’s not new. But to be clear that this was posted on the Federal Register overnight on October 4th. So just to be clear about this, the president earlier today said that, he was asked, does the border wall work? He said no. But in the statement that was posted within the last 24 hours, the Department of Homeland Security secretary says “there is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers and roads in the vicinity of the border of the United States in order to prevent unlawful entry into the United States.” So who’s right? The statement from the DHS secretary overnight or the president’s comments today saying they don’t work.

KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: So a couple of things. Yes, it showed up on the register today, but the announcement, this is not new. This is from six months ago.

ALEXANDER: Well it is new because the waiving of the laws actually didn’t happen-

JEAN-PIERRE: What it was, this was something that was out back, that the DHS was put out back in six months ago.

ALEXANDER: Did they waive the laws six months ago?

JEAN-PIERRE: Well, what I’m saying is DHS announced this back in June that the agency would do so. They actually said that they would do that.

Eventually, Alexander steered the conversation back toward the strategic debate between Biden and Mayorkas.

ALEXANDER: So this statement when he said presently, so when he said there is presently, you’re saying when he said there is presently, he was referring to six months ago or referring to the date of which it was filed?

JEAN-PIERRE: What I can tell you is DHS announced this back in June that they were going to move forward with this. That’s what I can share with you. That’s what I know is to be true and is to be fact. Look, I can speak for the president. The president said, he was asked directly. He doesn’t believe a border wall is effective.

ALEXANDER: Does he have a disagreement with his Department of Homeland Security Secretary?

JEAN-PIERRE: What I can tell you, what the president, I’m going to tell you what the president said and what your colleague asked him. He said, no, he doesn’t believe that the border wall is effective. 

ALEXANDER: Speaking in direct contradiction to what his own Homeland Security says.

JEAN-PIERRE: I know. I hear you, I hear you. I’m speaking for the president. I’m saying that he has said that he does not believe a border wall is effective. That’s what he was asked. He has said that for some time now. It still remains to be the case. He asked, right? He asked Congress multiple times. His team has asked Congress to reappropriate the funds. They refused to do that. We’re going to comply by law.

ALEXANDER: Will you ask the president on our behalf, then, in the absence of our ability to do that, whether he disagrees with the statement that there is presently an acute and immediate need to construct physical barriers?

JEAN-PIERRE: I’m happy to take that back, I’m happy to take that back.

Watch above via Fox News.