White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre, known for reading scripted answers during daily press briefings, got her statements mixed up on Monday before catching and correcting herself.
A reporter asked Jean-Pierre about New Hampshire Sen. Jean Shaheen, a Democrat, not attending a ball that night because President Biden endorsed a proposal to put South Carolina ahead of New Hampshire in the primary schedule.
The move, the reporter said, had Shaheen concerned that it would make New Hampshire vulnerable during the primaries.
Jean-Pierre told the reporter the White House honors the Hatch Act, which passed in 1939 to restrict political activity involvement by federal employees.
‘But looking backward is the ultimate irony,’ she said. ‘You know, the 2020 election was proven by the Trump administration’s homeland…oops. Sorry. I think I got ahead of myself here.’
Jean-Pierre then continued and said the White House takes the Hatch Act very seriously, adding she needed to be careful in what she says as the 2024 election approaches.