After Bloomberg’s Jenny Leonard asked President Biden on Wednesday afternoon about whether he thinks Twitter boss Elon Musk is a national security threat, CBS’s Weijia Jiang and Fox’s David Spunt followed up during Thursday’s White House press briefing and whether Biden actually meant that and how that’d square with his campaign promise to have an independent Justice Department (DOJ).
Jiang went first with a Musk question for National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan: “The President yesterday said that it should be — that Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter should be looked into as a potential threat to national security. Can you offer anything about why? And he also said there are many ways to look into that. How would you look into that?”
Sullivan doubled down while insisting the Committee on Foreign Investment in the United States (CFIUS) “process is the normal process through which transactions that might have a national security nexus get reviewed and I will defer to [them] rather than comment on it further from this podium.”
Spunt was far more aggressive, using a rare pinch-hit appearance in the Briefing Room to point out that CFIUS involves the Justice Department and thus would mean Biden yet again meddled in the DOJ process like he has with January 6 subpoenas
You’ve said several times from this perch right here that the White House wants to remain independent from the Justice Department. I cover the Justice Department at DOJ. Those folks will say, “We want to stay totally independent.” I know Jake was asked earlier by Weijia about this comment with Elon Musk and having people — it’s worthy of looking into Elon Musk’s relationship with other businesses. He talked about CFIUS. CFIUS is made up of the Treasury Department and DOJ officials. The President has been criticized in the past for talking about the Department of Justice and looking into people relating to January 6th subpoenas. What did he mean — what does that mean when the President says “worthy of being looked into”? It’s raising some questions.
Jean-Pierre deflected by arguing Sullivan already “answered that.”
Spunt also tucked in a question about COVID-19 origins and whether Biden would bring that up with Chinese President Xi Jinping at next week’s G-20, especially considering that’s something Republicans would look to investigate if they take control of Congress.
Jean-Pierre hilariously claimed Biden “has always been clear on getting to the bottom of COVID,” but wouldn’t commit to having them discuss it.
To see the relevant transcript from November 10's briefing, click “expand.”
White House press briefing (via Washington Post Live)
November 10, 2022
1:14 p.m. EasternWEIJIA JIANG: The President yesterday said that it should be — that Elon Musk’s acquisition of Twitter should be looked into as a potential threat to national security. Can you offer anything about why? And he also said there are many ways to look into that. How would you look into that?
JAKE SULLIVAN: Well, you heard the President yesterday, and the CFIUS process is the normal process through which transactions that might have a national security nexus get reviewed and I will defer to the CFIUS process rather than comment on it further from this podium.
(....)
1:44 p.m. Eastern
DAVID SPUNT: You’ve said several times from this perch right here that the White House wants to remain independent from the Justice Department. I cover the Justice Department at DOJ. Those folks will say, “We want to stay totally independent.” I know Jake was asked earlier by Weijia about this comment with Elon Musk and having people — it’s worthy of looking into Elon Musk’s relationship with other businesses. He talked about CFIUS. CFIUS is made up of the Treasury Department and DOJ officials. The President has been criticized in the past for talking about the Department of Justice and looking into people relating to January 6th subpoenas. What did he mean — what does that mean when the President says “worthy of being looked into”? It’s raising some questions.
KARINE JEAN-PIERRE: So the National Security Advisor, Jake Sullivan, just answered that question. I’m just not going to go beyond that. He is — he is, as you know, the advisor to the National Security Council. I’m just not going to go beyond that. And as the President said, and as I have said many times, we just refer you to the committee. I don’t have anything else to add.
SPUNT: And, Karine, one follow-up. I wanted to ask Jake this. When the President meets with President Xi — it’s their first time meeting in person since President Biden took office — when he comes back, I know it’s too early to tell if Republicans are going to take control the Senate, of the House. If so, even if one body — if they want to investigate — and when I say “they,” I mean Republicans — the origins of COVID-19 — that’s something Republicans have on their agenda; they’ve been talking about it — will President Biden ask President Xi about the origins of COVID-19 and bring up that issue with him in person?
JEAN-PIERRE: Again, I’m not going to get — and Jake has said this as well — I’m not going to get ahead of the agenda of what they’re going to discuss when they have their bilat. Certainly, we will share the conversation and what came up. The President has always been clear on getting to the bottom of COVID and has been very clear in — in — in reports that we have put out on the origins of COVID as well, but I’m just not going to get ahead of that conversation.
