In a press briefing following the 2024 presidential election results, White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre attributed Vice President Kamala Harris’s loss to President-elect Donald Trump largely to the lingering impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.
This marked the administration’s first public response since the election, offering insight into their perspective on the unexpected results.
When questioned about President Biden’s decision to step aside and support Vice President Harris as the Democratic nominee, Jean-Pierre defended the decision. She explained that Biden believed in Harris’s readiness to lead, asserting that she was prepared to step into the presidency on “day one” and lauding both her leadership and Biden’s accomplishments over the past term.
"The president is very proud of what he was able to accomplish,” Jean-Pierre stated, highlighting his confidence in Harris’s leadership abilities.
CBS’s @NancyCordes: “Does the President have any regrets about when he chose to leave the race or any regrets about deciding to run for a second term?”
KJP: “Um — so — look — um — the President is very proud of what he was able to accomplish. He was very proud and when he made… pic.twitter.com/tp77SSuRim
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) November 7, 2024
In framing the election outcome, Jean-Pierre pointed to an international trend, noting that political shifts following the pandemic have been seen across G7 nations. She emphasized that the unique challenges of the pandemic took a toll on leadership worldwide, regardless of specific policy achievements or economic leadership.
“What we saw two nights ago was certainly very much in line with what we’ve seen in other G7 countries,” she remarked, attributing the U.S. results to the broader global landscape impacted by the pandemic’s strain on incumbents.
Jean-Pierre acknowledged that the coming weeks would bring a wave of analysis and commentary on Harris’s loss, admitting that election experts and pundits would undoubtedly weigh in on the contributing factors.
Despite this, she reiterated Biden’s pride in Harris’s campaign efforts and his confidence in the achievements made under their administration, particularly in navigating pandemic challenges. According to Jean-Pierre, Biden remains “very, very proud” of both his own administration's accomplishments and the hard work Harris put into her campaign.