Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki reportedly apologized to Gold Star families for denying President Biden checked his watch during a ceremony. Psaki participated in a closed-door transcribed interview with the House Foreign Affairs Committee to address the 2021 Afghanistan evacuation. During the session, Psaki was questioned about her previous statements regarding the operation, including allegations of providing inaccurate information.
According to reports, Psaki was specifically asked by the committee chairman if she had any comments for the Gold Star families who were offended by her remarks. After being pressed multiple times, Psaki requested the chairman to convey her apology and express regret for any pain caused to the families. The chairman confirmed that he had passed along Psaki's apology to the families.
Republican Representative Mike Waltz acknowledged the exchange and commended Psaki for taking the step to apologize to the 13 Afghanistan Gold Star families. Waltz emphasized that this was not a partisan issue but rather a gesture of doing the right thing as fellow Americans.
The incident in question involved a video and image showing President Biden checking his watch multiple times during a dignified transfer ceremony for the 13 U.S. service members killed in a terrorist attack during the Afghanistan withdrawal. Psaki had previously stated in her book that Biden looked at his watch only after the ceremony had ended, dismissing claims that he did so during the event. However, Gold Star families contradicted this account, asserting that they witnessed Biden checking his watch several times.
Following the controversy, Psaki was compelled to revise her book and remove the disputed line from future editions. The apology to the Gold Star families marks a significant development in addressing the concerns raised over the incident.
