Psaki says it’s not ‘fair’ to say Biden called Trump’s COVID travel ban ‘xenophobic’



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White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Monday it was unfair to assert President Biden called his predecessor’s coronavirus travel ban “xenophobic,” despite statements indicating that it was in fact his vision of this policy.

“I don’t think that’s quite a right articulation,” she told Fox News’s Peter Doocy, who reiterated Biden’s use of the term “xenophobic”. Doocy’s comment came just after the White House announced a travel ban from South Africa linked to the coronavirus.

“The president made it clear that he believed the Muslim ban was xenophobic,” Psaki said. “He rescinded the Muslim ban. He also, however, supported measures, travel restrictions in order to keep the American people safe, to ensure that we brought the pandemic under control. It was part of his policy, but he criticized the former president for having a policy that was no more comprehensive than travel restrictions. “

MCCARTHY QUESTIONS BIDEN’S CHANGE OF MIND ON CORONAVIRUS TRAVEL BANS FOLLOWING THE ANNOUNCEMENT OF NEW RESTRICTIONS

Psaki’s response echoed earlier denials of claims by then-candidate Biden during the presidential race, with former President Trump referring to the ban as evidence of successful policy making.

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Around the time Trump announced the ban on China last year, Biden accused Trump of “xenophobia” without explicitly referring to it. In a subsequent tweet, however, he responded directly to one of Trump’s messages extolling the ban.

“Stop xenophobic fear campaigns,” Biden tweeted. “Be honest. Take your responsibilities. Do your job.”



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