Jen Psaki Attempts to Place Blame on Trump Administration For Increase in Attacks on Asian-Americans ‘No Question’

At her daily press briefing today, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki was asked a question by a reporter that she felt gave her free rein to lob criticism at the Trump administration, as Joe Biden closes in on two months in office.

Psaki was asked, “The president said in the Oval Office that he didn’t want to make a connection on the motivation in an Atlanta, but to broaden it out, why does he think attacks on Asian-Americans are increasing in this country?”

Initially, Psaki attempted to say that Biden didn’t want to make a connection for sure at this point, but then she went straight into blaming the Trump administration.

“I think there’s no question that some of the damaging rhetoric that we saw during the prior administration, calling COVID the Wuhan virus or other things, led to perceptions of the Asian American community that are inaccurate, unfair… has elevated threats against Asian Americans, and we’re seeing that around the country,” Psaki insisted.

Jen Psaki pulls no punches and blames the Trump administration's rhetoric for increasing violence and threats against Asian-Americans. pic.twitter.com/LwiJysO90X

— Sarah Reese Jones (@PoliticusSarah) March 17, 2021

Weijia Jiang with CBS News also asked Psaki what Biden plans to do about attacks on the Asian American community, beyond his executive order denouncing xenophobia.

Psaki responded that Biden would “support additional action on the local level or the federal level.”

.@weijia asks what President Biden plans to do about attacks on the Asian American community, beyond his executive order denouncing xenophobia

Psaki says Biden would "support additional action on the local level or the federal level" https://t.co/Nj065CIsxp pic.twitter.com/PP3q0pFN0x

— CBS News (@CBSNews) February 8, 2021

From The Hill:

She pointed to President Biden‘s focus on the issue of anti-Asian American bias amid the pandemic, including a memo condemning and seeking to combat racism against Asian Americans.

Biden denounced hate crimes against Asian Americans during a prime-time address last week marking one year since pandemic restrictions began, calling the violence “un-American.”

Police continue to investigate the shootings near Atlanta that left eight people dead, six of whom were Asian. The shootings took place at massage parlors, and all but one of the victims were women.

Authorities said Wednesday that the suspected gunman claimed he has a “sexual addiction,” and they have yet to determine whether it will be labeled a hate crime. Still, the shootings renewed conversation around how Asian Americans have been targeted with violence and discrimination amid the coronavirus pandemic.

NBC News reported this week that there were nearly 3,800 incidents of bias against Asian Americans reported over the past 12 months.