White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre praised President Joe Biden's supposed courage this week, describing his recent visit to Ukraine as "brave."
However, the facts surrounding Biden's trip has many observers dismissing Jean-Pierre's claim as a lie.
According to RedState, the controversy started on Wednesday when Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy suggested that Biden is afraid to confront China.
As evidence, Doocy recalled how the president allowed a Chinese spy balloon to traverse the United States and pointed to the Department of Energy's conclusion that COVID-19 likely originated in a Chinese lab.
The White House responded by citing Biden's Ukraine trip, saying that he "is not a president who is afraid of anything."
DOOCY TIME: "Why is President Biden afraid of China?"
KJP: "[He] is not afraid of China?"
Doocy: "Well--"
KJP: "Did you--did you see [him] last week when we went to...Ukraine, went to Kyiv? This is not a President who's afraid of anything...Many of you said [it] was brave." pic.twitter.com/QVaMoGakUK
— Curtis Houck (@CurtisHouck) March 1, 2023
However, critics complained that the alleged risks of Biden's Ukraine visit was hyped by both his administration and the Ukrainian government, with the latter playing air raid sirens to create a false sense of danger.
👴🇺🇦🇺🇸Biden and Zelensky calmly walk around Kiev during the alarm,Holywood style. pic.twitter.com/OzRdum6iXW
— AZ 🛰🌏🌍🌎 (@AZgeopolitics) February 20, 2023
Even a CNN correspondent who is based in Ukraine all but acknowledged that the siren use was theatrical in nature, saying, "I've been here for the past five days. I have not heard any explosions. I have not heard any air sirens, until about half an hour ago, right when President Biden got here."
CNN reporter: "I've been here for the past five days. I have not heard any explosions. I have not heard any air sirens, until about half an hour ago, right when President Biden got here"pic.twitter.com/dPc4tK2Qvy
— Jack Posobiec 🇺🇸 (@JackPosobiec) February 21, 2023
Meanwhile, former Secret Service agents Jeff James and Dan Bongino said that the president would have been evacuated in the threat had been genuine.
Former @SecretService agents Jeff James & @dbongino: Secret Service would have evacuated Biden if the Kiev air raid siren were real pic.twitter.com/TYIOCqSoPp
— Tom Elliott (@tomselliott) February 26, 2023
I don’t care how many pairs of aviator sunglasses he owns, you’re never going to make a draft-dodging weakling like Biden look courageous. You also are never going to make his handling of COVID-19 anything but a failure.
A real leader would stand up to Xi Jinping. The United States doesn’t have one of those, though, so we instead get this silly cosplaying in Ukraine while America’s enemies laugh at her. Jean-Pierre has no ability to cover up that reality.