Former Press Secretary Jen Psaki Issues Apology to Gold Star Families

Former White House press secretary Jen Psaki has reportedly requested the House Foreign Affairs Committee to convey her apology to Gold Star families regarding her previous comments about President Biden's behavior during a dignified transfer ceremony. Psaki participated in a closed-door interview with the committee on Friday, focusing on the tumultuous evacuation from Afghanistan in 2021. During the session, she was pressed about her earlier statements that denied Biden checked his watch during the ceremony, which had offended many families of fallen service members. Leslie Shedd, a spokeswoman for the committee, confirmed that Psaki was asked if she had any remarks for the Gold Star families. After several inquiries, Psaki requested the chairman to relay her apology and express her regret for any distress her comments may have caused. This acknowledgment was later confirmed by GOP Rep. Mike Waltz, who praised Psaki for taking responsibility and urged her to follow through with her apology to the families of the 13 service members who lost their lives in Afghanistan. Psaki faced backlash in May after her book "Say More" claimed that Biden only looked at his watch after the ceremony concluded, asserting that critics had misrepresented the situation. However, Gold Star families have consistently maintained that Biden checked his watch multiple times during the event. Following the criticism, Psaki amended her book to remove the contentious statement from future editions.