White House Principal Deputy Press Secretary Olivia Dalton defended President Joe Biden after Fox News White House Correspondent Jacqui Heinrich asked about Hunter Biden’s attendance at a state dinner, and noted comments MSNBC host and former Biden press secretary Jen Psaki made about the “optics.”

Some in the media have questioned why the president invited Hunter to a state dinner for Prime Minister Narendra Modi of the Republic of India last week, shortly after his son reached a plea deal on tax and gun charges.

At Tuesday’s press briefing, Heinrich asked Dalton — filling in for Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre — about Hunter’s appearance at the dinner and at Camp David for the weekend, and noted some of what Psaki said earlier in the day on the subject:

JACQUI HEINRICH: What message is the president trying to send to the American people when he invites his son to the state dinner? And Camp David, as we saw this past weekend, amid everything he’s going through?

OLIVIA DALTON: Every president of the United States has invited their family to a state dinner. This president also has a family. He is no different. And beyond that, I’m just not going to engage on this.

JACQUI HEINRICH: The former White House press secretary, Jen Psaki, acknowledged that optically, that might not have been easier for the White House. Can you elaborate on on that at all? The decision to to invite the president’s son amid everything that he’s going through and what challenges that poses for for this White House to explain.

OLIVIA DALTON: Like every other administration, like every other president, this president has a family. And he did exactly what many prior administrations have done. And beyond that, I really don’t have any comment on this.

That wasn’t all Psaki said. Asked about the dinner on Tuesday morning’s edition of MSNBC’s Morning Joe, Psaki said:

I think, you know, what we saw with Hunter appearing at the state dinner was, in my suspicion was the president, his son wanted to come, so his son’s going to come to the dinner.

Was that optically easier for the White House and the White House communications team? Absolutely not.

But I suspect that was more in the family circumstance of him wanting to come and wanting to, just the president wanting to show that he loves his son and he’s standing by him.

Dalton’s answer was similar to the one KJP gave last week when asked a similar question.

Watch above via C-SPAN.

The post Fox Reporter Notes Psaki Comment on ‘Optics’ of Hunter Biden State Dinner Visit — Biden Spox Defends President At Briefing first appeared on Mediaite.

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