Former White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre clashed with CBS late-night host Stephen Colbert after defending President Joe Biden’s mental fitness and denouncing Democrat leaders for pressuring him to step down. The tense exchange aired Monday night as Jean-Pierre also revealed she has left the Democrat Party in frustration.
Jean-Pierre insisted during her appearance on The Late Show that she “never saw” Biden decline during her time in the administration. Colbert directly challenged that claim, referencing the president’s performance during his lone debate with Donald Trump, calling it “a shock to our system.”
“I saw a guy who I had not seen backstage at the benefit that I did,” Colbert said. “It seemed like a dramatically different person… In a moment of great pressure on stage, we saw someone shock us and worry us.”
Despite Jean-Pierre’s defense of Biden’s policy knowledge and character, Colbert pressed the issue, noting that mental acuity is a non-negotiable requirement for the presidency. Jean-Pierre continued to defend Biden’s record, calling the public backlash “a really ugly assault” on a president with over 50 years of public service.
In her new book, Jean-Pierre says the calls for Biden to withdraw from the race were so disheartening that she officially left the Democrat Party. “I’m going to become an independent. I don’t think I can stomach being in the Democratic Party anymore,” she wrote.
Appearing on CBS Mornings, Jean-Pierre doubled down on her claim that Biden is capable of governing. But co-hosts Tony Dokoupil and Gayle King were openly skeptical, questioning how close aides could have missed signs of decline. “Some Americans are going to say, ‘seriously?’” Dokoupil said.
