Jen Psaki and Pentagon Spokesman John Kirby Speak Out on Wounded Fox News Reporter

Kipp JonesMar 14th, 2022, 5:16 pm
 

Pentagon spokesman John Kirby and White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki both commented Monday after Fox News reporter Benjamin Hall was wounded in Ukraine.

The news first broke early Wednesday afternoon that Hall, who has been reporting from Kyiv amid Russia’s war on the Ukrainian people, was wounded and hospitalized.

Fox News White House correspondent Jacqui Heinrich invoked Hall the death of American journalist Brent Renaud, when she asked if the Biden administration intends to respond.

“The president said back in February that the U.S. would respond forcefully if Americans were targeted in Ukraine,” Heinrich noted. “What is that response going to look like?” Psaki said,

Your colleague, Benjamin Hall, I know there’s not final reports yet, or we would wait for your news organization to confirm those, but our thoughts, the President’s thoughts, our administration thoughts are with him, his family and all of you at Fox News as well.

Psaki concluded she could not speak to a potential response to American reporters being targeted by Russian troops.

Later, as Kirby briefed reporters on the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, he also addressed Hall’s hospitalization.

“He is being treated right now in a hospital for his injuries,” Kirby said. “We certainly wish him all the best, a speedy recovery and a safe return.”

The Pentagon spokesman added:

This is a war that didn’t need to be fought, to be sure. But just as to be sure there are journalists from around the world on the ground trying to discover the truth and to show that truth and to tell these important stories. And again, our best go out to Mr. Hall and our certainly, our deepest thoughts go to his family, as I’m sure they are worried about him and his well-being. But again, we’re thinking about him.

Hall was wounded while reporting near Kyiv on Monday. Few details have been released at this point.

Fox News anchor John Roberts read a statement on air from network CEO Suzanne Scott on Monday about Hall’s hospitalization.

“Earlier today our correspondent Benjamin Hall was injured while news gathering outside of Kyiv in Ukraine,” Scott said in her statement. “We have a minimal level of details right now. But Ben is hospitalized and our teams on the ground are working to gather additional information as the situation quickly unfolds.”

Watch Kirby above, via CNN.

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