Fox News reporter Jacqui Heinrich cast doubt on the motives behind former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre’s decision to leave the Democratic Party and release a new book about her time working for former President Biden.
“I just think it’s interesting that she’s saying she wants to, you know, move away from the partisanship of things because I remember when Karine Jean-Pierre suggested that all the videos of Joe Biden at his worst were cheap fakes and deepfakes and misinformation when they were, in fact, the video that we as a press corps collected on site, certainly not the product of AI [artificial intelligence],” Heinrich said during a discussion on the cable channel about Jean-Pierre’s announcement.
Heinrich, who covered Biden’s White House for Fox and frequently sparred with Jean-Pierre over Biden’s health and other issues, suggested she found it convenient the former White House spokesperson has found “moral clarity” after leaving her position.
“I find it hard to look upon that without some deep questions,” she said. “So I will read the book and keep an open mind, but it’s going to be interesting.”
The reporter and anchor’s comments were first highlighted by Mediaite.
Promotional materials for Jean-Pierre’s book said it will be a “groundbreaking, revelatory assessment of America’s broken two-party system.” But the former White House press secretary’s plans are being met with widespread scorn.
Jean-Pierre was on the leading edge of the White House’s defense against questions about Biden’s mental acuity and stamina punctuated by his decision to step aside in the 2024 presidential race. Several books and news reports published since Biden left office have detailed his decline as well as extra steps taken by those around him to aid his schedule and travel.
President Trump and Republicans have accused top aides and longtime Democrats like Jean-Pierre of a “cover-up” of Biden’s health, while the president this week ordered an investigation of Biden’s decisionmaking while in office.
Biden forcefully pushed back against the probe in a statement, saying he “made the decisions” during his presidency and calling Trump’s claims “nothing more than a distraction.”