When asked by a reporter about the recent mass shooting committed by a so-called “transgender” person against a Christian school, White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre refused to say whether the shooting was a hate crime.
On March 27, a 28-year-old woman who claimed to be a “transgender man” entered the Covenant School in Nashville, Tennessee, where she shot and killed three children and three adults. The shooter, a former student at the school who reportedly spent months planning the attack, was killed on scene by police officers.
While the left typically politicizes every mass shooting, especially those which target a specific “protected” group, they have remained eerily silent on the motive for this particular mass shooting — which critics say is because the shooter was a member of the LGBT community.
Conservatives, on the other hand, have pointed out that there is a clear motive behind the shooting — citing the transgender community’s hatred of Christians.
An unidentified reporter questioned Jean-Pierre about the hate crime motive during a press briefing on Wednesday.
“Former Vice President Pence said that if the shooter who killed six people in that Christian school in Tennessee was motivated by a hatred towards Christians, that the crime should be categorized as a hate crime,” the reporter said. “I’m wondering what the President thinks about that kind of designation?”
“It’s not for us to decide,” the press secretary responded, ignoring the fact that members of the Biden administration and other Democrats have come out after nearly every mass shooting to discuss the motive.
KDP says, “It’s not for us to decide” when asked if the Nashville shooting was a hate crime against Christians pic.twitter.com/u4fRMpGzhe
— Ben Owen🇺🇸 (@hrkbenowen) April 5, 2023
Meanwhile, President Joe Biden was previously asked whether he believes that Christians were specifically targeted in the shooting. In response, he laughed and made a joke.
“Mr. President, do you believe that Christians were targeted in the Nashville school shooting?” the reporter asked Biden when he stopped to speak with reporters outside of the White House.
“I have no idea,” Biden responded.
“Josh Hawley believes they were. What do you say to that?” the reporter asked.
“Well, I probably don’t then,” the president replied while laughing.
“No, I’m joking. No, I have no idea,” the president followed up.
Reporter to Biden: Josh Hawley thinks Christians were targeted
Biden: I probably don’t then.
*Laughs* I’m just joking. pic.twitter.com/PJfjQ0DLfI— End Wokeness (@EndWokeness) March 29, 2023
This is not the first time the White House has appeared insensitive in the aftermath of the shooting. Jean-Pierre faced major backlash for comments during a press briefing following the incident, where she claimed that transgender people were “under attack” when discussing a law banning puberty blockers, hormone treatments, and surgical mutilation of children in Kentucky — which went into effect after the state legislature overrode the veto of Democrat Gov. Andy Beshear.
“Our hearts go out to the trans community, as they are under attack right now,” Jean-Pierre said, prompting backlash on social media from numerous conservatives.
Karine Jean-Pierre: “Our hearts go out to the trans community, as they are under attack right now.”
— Benny Johnson (@bennyjohnson) March 30, 2023
