Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has apologized to Gold Star families for falsely claiming in her book that President Biden never checked his watch during a dignified transfer ceremony for fallen service members.
Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has issued an apology to Gold Star families for falsely claiming in her book that President Biden never checked his watch during a dignified transfer ceremony for fallen service members.
The apology came during a closed-door interview with the House Foreign Affairs Committee on Friday, where Psaki was questioned about multiple untrue statements she allegedly made regarding the chaotic 2021 Afghanistan evacuation.
Psaki Apologizes to Gold Star Families for False Biden Claim
According to reports, Psaki was asked if she had any comments for the Gold Star families who were offended by her previous statements. She then asked the committee chairman to pass along her apology and regret for the pain she caused them.
"The chairman asked Ms. Psaki about her comments regarding President Biden looking at his watch while at Dover [Air Force Base] and asked her if she had anything she wanted to say to the families on the record," Leslie Shedd, Foreign Affairs Committee majority spokeswoman, said in a statement to the Washington Examiner. "After pressing her multiple times if she had something she wanted to say to them, Ms. Psaki asked the chairman to pass along her apology to the families and to express her regret for the pain she caused them. He has done that."
Psaki Apologizes to Gold Star Families for False Biden Claim
GOP Florida Rep. Mike Waltz confirmed the exchange, congratulating Psaki on doing the right thing.
"Just left the House Foreign Affairs interview with Jen Psaki," Waltz wrote on Twitter. "She agreed to apologize to the 13 Afghanistan Gold Star families whom she falsely contradicted in her book when she said Biden didn’t look at his watch. This isn’t a partisan or gotcha moment. This is the right thing to do as fellow Americans and I pray she follows through."
Psaki Apologizes to Gold Star Families for False Biden Claim
Fox News Digital reached out to the Foreign Affairs Committee and Psaki for confirmation and have yet to receive a response.
The incident in question was a widely-attacked video and subsequent image of Biden checking his watch multiple times during the dignified transfer ceremony for the 13 U.S. service members who were killed in a terrorist attack during the Afghanistan withdrawal.
Psaki initially came under fire for her claim in her book "Say More" that "the president looked at his watch only after the ceremony had ended" and insisted critics misrepresented the facts to make Biden appear insensitive. However, Gold Star families have long said they saw Biden check his watch multiple times during the ceremony.
After pressure from Gold Star families and others, Psaki was forced to edit and remove the line from future reprints and digital copies of the book.
Psaki's apology comes after months of criticism and backlash over her handling of the Afghanistan withdrawal, which many have blamed on the Biden administration's lack of preparedness and planning.
In addition to the false claim about Biden's watch, Psaki has also been criticized for her handling of other issues, including the administration's messaging on inflation and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
As of now, Psaki has not yet publicly apologized to the Gold Star families. Her apology, if it is issued, would be a significant step towards healing the wounds and rebuilding trust with those who have been the most deeply affected by the withdrawal from Afghanistan.
