Biden Out of Public View for Three Days? Jean-Pierre: 'The President Had a Three-Day Swing' (January 11, 2024)

A reporter asked the White House where the President had been. “President Biden has not had any events at the White House in the new year, and he’s been kept from public view for three full days now. Why?” the reporter asked at the briefing on Jan. 11, 2024 [1].

“The President had a three-day swing, went to four states in the new year,” Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre answered, according to the official White House transcript [1].

“So, he did a three-day swing. But for the last three days — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — none of his constituents have seen him doing anything. Who decided that the American people are best served by seeing less of President?” the reporter asked. “I would disagree,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

The video above shows the exchanges at the Jan. 11, 2024, briefing. Quotes are from the official White House transcript, The Associated Press and the National Archives [1][2][3].

”The President Is Active”

Jean-Pierre listed what Biden had done. “He had lunch with the Vice President yesterday — important partner in everything that he’s trying to get done on behalf of the American people. So, the President is active,” she said [1].

Recounting his recent speeches, Jean-Pierre placed Jan. 6 “in 2011,” a slip the official transcript corrects to 2021 in brackets [1].

The reporter also asked about donors. “There’s an item in Axios that President Biden was advised by the White House Counsel to stop giving big-dollar donors tours of the Oval Office. While he has been out of view of the public for the last three days, has he given any wealthy campaign donors tours of the Oval Office?” [1]

“So, as many of your outlets have covered, it is typical — it is typical for all presidents, regardless of party, to host supporters at the White House complex,” Jean-Pierre said. “I just don’t have anything else to add.” [1]

“Like They’re a Poodle”

The same week, the White House admitted it had not known Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was in the hospital. A reporter Jean-Pierre called Andrew asked about tracking Cabinet members “in 2024 — when I have a phone in my pocket that can be pinged to locate me within a couple of feet.” [1]

“Let me stop you right there. We’re not going to track the GPS coordinates on somebody’s mobile phone in the administration, and we’re not going to plant a microchip in their neck like they’re a poodle,” National Security Council spokesman John Kirby said [1].

“But the problem is, with Secretary Austin, you didn’t know where he was. You didn’t know where he was for days,” the reporter said. “Now, it’s true, we didn’t know he was hospitalized. And I’ve said repeatedly that that’s a problem,” Kirby said [1].

“We’ll get better at this. We’ll learn from this,” Kirby said of the Austin episode.

“Why a poodle?” Jean-Pierre asked. “I don’t have anything against poodles. (Laughter.)” Kirby said [1].

”Every Bean, Every Bullet”

A reporter Jean-Pierre called Nancy asked about weapons sent to Ukraine. “John, there’s a new report out from the Defense IG that says that American Defense officials didn’t fully account for nearly 40,000 weapons —” the reporter said, ”— that the U.S. provided to Ukraine — sensitive materiel small enough to be bartered, put on the black market.” [1]

Kirby said the report found “no evidence of any sort of widescale diversion,” and added: “And, two, that it is a wartime environment, and there are real limits to our ability to count every bean, every bullet, every artillery shell.” [1]

“He’s a Private Citizen”

A reporter Jean-Pierre called Emily asked about Hunter Biden. “So, can you clarify why you’re — you aren’t able to speak more about the President’s role in his son’s defense?” [1]

“Emily, I really don’t have anything else to add. He’s a private citizen. He’s not a member of the White House. He doesn’t work here,” Jean-Pierre said [1].

”An All-Time High”

A reporter Jean-Pierre called Jared asked about oil. “U.S. oil production hit an all-time high in 2023. I’m curious what the administration, sort of, response to that measurement is and how it sort of fits in with the broader agenda of transitioning to EVs and the green agenda that the President talked so much about in the context of, like, job creation and the economy?” [1]

“Yeah, look, we’ve always said how important it is to transition to, obviously, to the — EV. And that’s something that we take incredibly seriously,” Jean-Pierre answered [1].

By the Numbers

3: days Biden had been out of public view, per the reporter [1].
4: states Jean-Pierre said he had visited in the new year [1].
Nearly 40,000: weapons the Pentagon inspector general said were not fully accounted for, per the reporter [1].
312-226: the 2024 Electoral College result, Donald Trump over Kamala Harris [3].

What Happened Next

Biden left the race. Six months later, on July 21, 2024, Biden wrote that “I believe it is in the best interest of my party and the country for me to stand down and to focus solely on fulfilling my duties as President for the remainder of my term.” [2]

Trump won. The National Archives lists the 2024 result as “Electoral Vote Winner: 312 Main Opponent: 226.” [3]

For Jean-Pierre defending Biden’s beach weekend in 2023, see HYGO News’ page on Aug. 14, 2023. For Hunter Biden’s pardon, see the page on April 24, 2023.