'The Natural Result' of Biden's Union Push? Jean-Pierre on the UAW Strike, and 'I Said No' on a Hunter Pardon (September 15, 2023)

The day the United Auto Workers walked out at plants of the Big Three automakers, a reporter read White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre a statement from the president of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce. “The UAW strike and indeed the ‘summer of strikes’ is the natural result of the Biden administration’s ‘whole-of-government’ approach to promoting unionization at all costs… For the 94 percent of American private sector workers not in a union, the costs are stacking up” [1].

“My reaction is this: The President believes that collective bargaining works. That’s what he believes,” Jean-Pierre answered [1].

The video above shows that exchange from the Sept. 15, 2023, briefing. Quotes are from the official transcripts published by the American Presidency Project [1][2].

”Julie Shu [Su; White House Correction]”

Earlier that day, President Joe Biden had spoken about the strike in the Roosevelt Room. “Last night, after negotiations broke down, the UAW announced a targeted strike at a few Big Three auto plants. Let’s be clear: No one wants a strike. Say it again: No one wants a strike,” he said [2].

He sent help. “I’m deploying—I’m dispatching two members of my team to Detroit, Acting Labor Secretary Julie Shu [Su; White House correction] and White House Senior Adviser Gene Sperling,” Biden said [2].

He also took the union’s side on pay. “Record corporate profits—which they have—should be shared by record contracts for the UAW,” Biden said [2].

Midway through, the transcript notes, Biden stopped to clear his throat. “Excuse me,” he said [2].

As he finished, a reporter shouted: “Should Hunter get a pardon, Mr. President?” The transcript ends there, with no answer [2].

”I Was Very Clear, and I Said No”

At the briefing, a reporter put the same question to Jean-Pierre. “And just a brief second one. Would the President pardon or commute his son if he’s convicted?” [1]

“So, I’ve answered this question before. It was asked of me not too long ago, a couple of weeks ago. And I was very clear, and I said no,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

”No One Wants a Strike”

Reporters also asked why Biden had moved so fast. “Why did the President think it was important to dispatch Acting Labor Secretary Su and Gene Sperling now? The targeted strike is about a half — half-day old now,” one asked [1].

“Let me just start by saying, like, no one wants a strike, right? No one wants a strike,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

Another asked about the union’s demand. “The President said today record profits for the automakers should mean record contracts for the UAW. Does that mean that he supports a 40 percent raise in these new contracts?” “I’m not going to get into the specifics,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

”Forced Transition to Electric Vehicles”

Near the end, a reporter asked about Biden’s electric-vehicle push. “So, is the automakers’ strike and the contract impasse partly a result of the President’s forced transition to electric vehicles?” [1]

“No,” Jean-Pierre said. “EV — EV sales, if you look at it, hit a record high last quarter, increased by nearly 50 percent from the same time last year” [1].

The reporter followed up: “But Ford says it’s going to lose four and a half billion dollars this year on its EV division.” Jean-Pierre answered: “That’s Ford. Right? Sales are going up while costs are going down” [1].

By the Numbers

94%: private-sector workers not in a union, per the Chamber statement a reporter read [1].
2: aides Biden sent to Detroit [2].
40%: the raise the union first sought, per Fox Business [4].
25%: the raise Ford agreed to over four and a half years [4].
6: times Jean-Pierre said Biden would not pardon his son, by Fox News’ count [3].

What Happened Next

Biden pardoned his son. On Dec. 1, 2024, “Biden officially pardoned his son Hunter over his recent felony convictions on tax and gun charges,” Fox News reported. “Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter,” Biden wrote [3].

Fox counted six times Jean-Pierre had said Biden would not do it. Among them was this answer: “So I’ve answered this question before. It was asked of me not too long ago — a couple of weeks ago — and I was very clear, and I said no” [3].

The EV credit ended. Public Law 119-21, signed by President Donald Trump, ended the federal clean vehicle credit for vehicles “acquired after September 30, 2025” [5]. For more on the White House’s EV claims, see HYGO News’ page on the July 17, 2023, briefing.

The strike ended with big raises. In the strike’s sixth week, “Ford and the UAW agreed to raise wages by 25% over the four-and-a-half-year contract with cost-of-living adjustments and an immediate 11% raise upon ratification,” Fox Business reported [4].

For the shouted question about Hunter Biden in Hanoi five days earlier, see HYGO News’ page on the Hanoi news conference. For Biden’s full pardon statement, see the page on the Camp David news conference, and for more of Jean-Pierre’s answers checked against the record, the Karine Jean-Pierre record page.