White House doesn't spend much time talking about Trump: Psaki
Feb 02, 2021
Washington [US], February 2 : White House staff don't spend much time thinking about former President Donald Trump, said Press Secretary Jen Psaki on Monday (local time).
"This may be hard to believe. We don't spend a lot of time talking about or thinking about President Trump here -- former President Trump, to be very clear," Psaki said during a White House press briefing on Monday as quoted by CNN.
When asked whether Trump's absence from social media has made her job easier or made the Coronavirus relief negotiations easier with Republican members of Congress, she said that she thought it would be more appropriate to ask Republican members of Congress whether Trump's absence from publicly weighing in on what's going on in Washington "gives them space."
She added, "I can't say we miss him on Twitter."
CNN further reported that Psaki wouldn't say whether President Joe Biden supported the continued ban on Trump's social media accounts.
"I think that's a decision made by Twitter. We've certainly spoken to, and he's spoken to the need for social media platforms to continue to take steps to reduce hate speech, but we don't have more for you on it than that," Psaki said.
Sputnik further reported that Psaki said the White House is reviewing whether the former President should have access to the US president's intelligence briefings amid concerns he may misuse it.
"It's something obviously that's under review but there was not a conclusion last I asked them [National Security team] about it," Psaki said when asked whether the White House will continue to extend the privilege of intelligence briefings to Trump amid Democrats' concerns that he may misuse it to enrich himself.
Former US presidents have been granted access to classified intelligence briefings on major policy issues.
Democrats and some former intelligence officials have claimed Trump cannot be trusted with classified information because of his companies' outstanding debt, which reportedly stands at USD 420 million, Sputnik reported further.
