1 month ago
During his sojourn to a warfare memorial adjacent his hometown successful Pennsylvania, President Biden appeared to connote his uncle was eaten by cannibals aft his level was changeable down during World War II.
"He flew single-engine planes, reconnaissance flights complete New Guinea. He had volunteered because personification couldn't make it. He sewage changeable down successful an area wherever location were a batch of cannibals successful New Guinea astatine nan time," President Biden said. "They ne'er recovered his body."
On Thursday, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre acknowledged that President Biden’s maternal uncle, Ambrose Finnegan, who he refers to arsenic "Uncle Bosie," did dice successful WWII erstwhile his level collapsed into nan Pacific Ocean, but confirmed he was not eaten by cannibals, arsenic Biden seemed to propose connected 2 abstracted occasions during his sojourn connected Wednesday.
When asked astir his comments connected Friday, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre claimed nan President was having an "emotional moment" erstwhile he made his remarks.
BIDEN'S FALSE CANNIBAL STORY DESCRIBED AS A SIMPLE ‘MISSTATEMENT,’ ‘OFF ON THE DETAILS’ BY THE MEDIA
President Joe Biden speaks to nan National Action Network Convention remotely from nan South Court Auditorium of nan White House, Friday, April 12, 2024, successful Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon) (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)
"The president had an affectional and I deliberation a symbolic moment. He had an opportunity arsenic president to grant his uncle's work successful uniform. He had an opportunity to beryllium location arsenic president, you know, to speak to group that put their lives connected nan statement connected behalf of this country," Jean-Pierre said.
She went connected to explicate what Biden's remark meant.
"So his uncle, who mislaid his life erstwhile nan subject craft he was connected collapsed successful nan Pacific aft taking disconnected adjacent New Guinea. The president highlighted his uncle's communicative arsenic he made nan lawsuit for honoring our ineffable committedness to equip those we nonstop to warfare and return attraction of them and their families erstwhile they travel home," Jean-Pierre said. "And arsenic he reiterated, nan past point American veterans are aliases nan past point Americans should beryllium called are suckers and losers. And those types of words should not travel from a commandant successful chief, arsenic we person successful nan past."
Jean-Pierre's past connection was successful reference to erstwhile President Trump, who President Biden claimed called soldiers "suckers and losers."
Trump was alleged to person made nan comments arsenic he was group to sojourn nan Aisne-Marne American Cemetery during a travel to France successful Nov. 2018 while he was president.
The allegations, originated anonymously successful The Atlantic, described aggregate violative comments allegedly made by Trump toward fallen and captured U.S. service-members, including allegedly calling nan World War I dormant astatine an American subject cemetery successful France arsenic "losers" and "suckers" successful 2018.
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During Friday's WH property briefing, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre declined to remark connected nan overnight unrest successful nan Middle East. (Getty Images)
"This is much made up Fake News fixed by disgusting & suspicious failures successful a disgraceful effort to power nan 2020 Election!" Trump wrote successful a station connected Twitter astir nan comments made against him.
Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo told "Fox & Friends" that he was pinch nan president for a bully portion of nan travel to France. "I ne'er heard him usage nan words that are described successful that article," Pompeo said.
Former White House property caput Sarah Sanders tweeted that she was portion of nan chat astir visiting nan cemetery. "This ne'er happened. I person sat successful nan room erstwhile our President called family members aft their sons were killed successful action and it was heart-wrenching. ... I americium disgusted by this mendacious attack."
Fox News' Peter Doocy continued to mobility Jean-Pierre astir President Biden's comments astir his uncle, acknowledging that Second Lieutenant Ambrose Jay Finnegan was a warfare hero, but stating that nan Pentagon said, for chartless reasons, nan level was forced to ditch successful nan ocean.
"Both engines grounded astatine debased altitude. Why is President Biden saying he was changeable down? There's nary grounds of that. And why is he saying that his uncle was eaten by cannibals? That is simply a bad measurement to go," Doocy questioned.
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Smith told podcast big Patrick Bet-David he's "ashamed" that Democrats haven't recovered a amended campaigner than President Biden to hit Trump. (Biden photograph by Celal Gunes/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images and Trump photograph Mario Tama/Getty Images )
"He mislaid his life. It's not. Look, I'm not, we should not make jokes astir this," Jean-Pierre said.
Doocy reiterated that it wasn't a joke, but said again, that is what Biden said.
"I mean, your past statement is, it's for a laugh, it's for a funny statement. And he takes this very seriously. His uncle, who served and protected this country, mislaid his life serving. And that should matter. You person a president that lifts our U.S. troops, our American veterans each day. Who thinks astir them? Who really thinks they're each heroes? And they are," Jean-Pierre sparred back.
Doocy asked 1 much clip why he utilized nan word "cannibalism" arsenic Jean-Pierre gave her past comment.
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"I deliberation you're missing nan point. The constituent is you person a president that lifts up American veterans, who lifts up our U.S. work members. And that's what matters. He understands really captious and really important it is to beryllium commandant successful chief," Jean-Pierre finished.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
