White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre emphasized that deploying the National Guard is a decision left to governors.
The White House commended UNC-Chapel Hill fraternity brothers on May 3 for safeguarding the American flag from protestors attempting to replace it with a Palestinian flag.
“All Americans have the right to peaceful protest,” stated Karine Jean-Pierre, the White House press secretary, praising the act of protecting the flag. “It is not acceptable to forcibly remove the American flag and replace it with another. It is not right.”
The White House reiterated President Joe Biden’s stance, expressed in his May 2 address regarding the ongoing pro-Palestine protests on college campuses, opposing the deployment of the National Guard.
“The decision to deploy the National Guard is in the hands of governors,” Ms. Jean-Pierre explained. She also emphasized that it is up to universities and colleges to determine if police presence is the appropriate course of action.
“We must abide by the rule of law,” she affirmed. “Violence is not condoned here. However, Americans have the right to peacefully protest within the confines of the law, and we will maintain consistency in this regard.”
‘Biden’s Vietnam’?
Ms. Jean-Pierre acknowledged several times during the press briefing that the current environment is highly charged.
One reporter brought up Senator Bernie Sanders’ comparison of the current situation to the protests of 1968 against the Vietnam War under then-President Lyndon Johnson.
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“I am thinking back, and other people are making this reference that this may be Biden’s Vietnam,” Mr. Sanders told CNN’s Christiane Amanpour on May 2, referring to President Biden’s reelection campaign.
When asked about the White House’s response to these comments, Ms. Jean-Pierre treaded carefully, stating, “I want to be cautious as this delves into campaign territory.”
“Joe Biden ended the longest war in American history and successfully secured bipartisan support in Congress for vital investments in our national security and Ukraine to prevent conflict in Europe,” she explained.
“This is the kind of leadership the president has demonstrated, and it has enabled him to unite NATO in unprecedented ways.”
Ms. Jean-Pierre highlighted a range of President Biden’s accomplishments over the past three years, including efforts against anti-Semitism, ensuring fair taxation for the wealthy, addressing student debt, confronting pharmaceutical companies, and fostering an inclusive economy.
“These agendas are widely popular, and he will continue to pursue them,” she affirmed.
When directly asked if the White House disagreed with the characterization presented, she responded, “Everyone is entitled to their opinions, and we respect their viewpoints.”
Could you please rephrase this sentence for me?
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