During Monday’s press briefing, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to discuss the recent large-scale anti-Semitic protests at U.S. universities following the attack on Israel by Hamas terrorists earlier this month during which they murdered 1,400 Israelis.
Jean-Pierre was asked about the matter by Fox Business Network’s Grady Trimble.
“I appreciate that the President respects First Amendment rights to protest, but does the President view anti-Israel protests and sentiment on college campuses as antisemitism?” Trimble asked.
“So, look, I’m not going to get into what’s happening across the country in — at different universities. I’m not going to get into the specifics,” Jean-Pierre responded. “As the Admiral said, the First Amendment right — right? — that’s what something — a peaceful protest is really part of — part of our democracy, being able for folks to — to be able to express their feelings.”
“I’m not going to get into any, you know, specifics on that,” she continued. “The President has been very clear in wanting to make sure that Jewish Americans, wanting to make sure that Arab Americans, Muslims are protected here. That is what he believes in — that we — they have the right to live their lives and to feel protection and to feel like they’re able to be part of a community. The President has been very, very clear on denouncing any type of violence.”
“And so, as it relates to peaceful protesting, people have the right to do that,” she added. “But we’re just not going to get into blow by blows of what’s going on across the country.”
Trimble said to Jean-Pierre, “Not looking into blow-by-blow, but the President himself said silence is complicity. So, if there’s anti-Semitic letters being sent by students or [anti-Semitic] sentiment at protests —”
“Of course — of course, the President doesn’t —is — is — is against anti-Semitism, of course,” Jean-Pierre interjected. “This is the President that you have heard me say is — wants to protect communities. Whether it’s the Jewish community, the Arab American community, the Palestinian community. This is someone who is going to speak out against anti-semitism, too. Of course. But you’re asking me — you — you — were kind of conflating the two. You were asking me about pro — protest and you were asking me about this question.”
FBN's @Grady_Trimble: "Not looking into blow-by-blow, but the President himself said silence is complicity. So, if there's anti-Semitic letters being sent by students or [anti-Semitic] sentiment at protests –"
KJP: "Of course — of course, the President doesn't — is — is –… pic.twitter.com/ZZAqLb6jD6
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) October 23, 2023