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Fox News: GOP reacts to report Jill Biden upset over Joe's last solo presser: ‘knows a train wreck when she sees one’
October 18, 2022By Houston Keene
FIRST ON FOX: Republican lawmakers reacted to a report that first lady Jill Biden was upset that nobody tried to stop President Joe Biden’s last solo press conference nine months ago.
The New York Times reported on Sunday that, following the president’s latest solo press conference in January where he did not follow then-press secretary Jen Psaki’s cue to wrap it up, the first lady tore into top White House officials by demanding to know why no one intervened.
Several GOP lawmakers shared their thoughts on the report with Fox News Digital, with Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga., quipping that Jill Biden "knows a train wreck when she sees one."
"Apparently the First Lady knows a train wreck when she sees one," Scott told Fox News Digital in a statement. "I think everyone in the White House is concerned that the President will accidentally reveal the Biden-Harris administration’s true agenda."
Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., told Fox News Digital that it is "apparent" the president is "not in control" of the West Wing.
"The American people are watching the situation with the President very closely. So are other world leaders," Blackburn said in a statement. "It is apparent he is not in control of the White House, his staff and the issues of the day."
House Republican Conference chairwoman Elise Stefanik of New York quipped that the "president of the United States should not need a babysitter when he talks to the media."
"Apparently Joe Biden does," Stefanik added.
Rep. Jeff Van Drew, R-N.J., told Fox News Digital: "The American people put Joe Biden in office and deserve to hear directly from the president himself. Our country does not operate under surrogates in chief."
"If Joe Biden is not able to perform his duties as president and talk to the American people on a regular basis, then he should not be running the greatest country in the world. The American people deserve answers. Not from his staff, not from his press team but from the president of the United States," Van Drew continued.
Rep. Ronny Jackson, R-Texas, accused the first lady and senior White House staff of "running a coverup operation to protect their own self-interest," and he took aim at the president's cognitive state.
"Bravo to the staffer who exposed Joe Biden by confirming that he isn’t the one calling the shots in the White House. Nine months ago, the first lady unloaded on the White House staff for allowing her husband to humiliate himself at a solo press conference," Jackson said. "We all know Joe Biden isn’t capable of making his own decisions and needs constant supervision," Jackson said.
"This administration has practically turned the White House into an assisted-living facility. The fact that Jill Biden and the senior White House staff are running a cover-up operation to protect their own self-interest is dangerous for this country," the Texas Republican continued.
"As a physician to three U.S. presidents, I know firsthand what it takes, both mentally and physically, to perform the most demanding job in the world. America and its allies cannot continue to have a cognitively impaired puppet as our commander in chief and the leader of the free world," Jackson said. "Joe Biden is too far gone."
The Times article noted that Jill has become one of the president’s favorite surrogates going into the contentious 2022 midterm elections.
Meanwhile, Biden continues to make headlines for his many gaffes that have sparked criticisms and calls for him from conservative lawmakers like Jackson to take a cognitive test.
The White House did not immediately respond to Fox News Digital's request for comment.