Psaki Grilled on Biden and Harris’ Mask Hypocrisy

White House press secretary Jen Psaki was grilled Monday on the on and off mask-wearing practices of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris after the administration has vehemently pushed for stringent masking restrictions.

Psaki was asked at the presser when Biden wears a mask and when he doesn’t.

“We all make decisions,” Psaki said. “Some people in here are wearing masks … to make them more comfortable or because they chose to that day or maybe they’re going to be around family members or people who may be immunocompromised or vulnerable. The president makes that decision and as we all do as well.”

When questioned at the White House press briefing on why Harris wasn’t wearing a mask Friday indoors, Psaki said: “It was an emotional day. It was a historic day.”

The inquisitive reporter noted that the White House tweeted a video of Harris standing over Biden without a mask on after Psaki claimed the vice president remained masked indoors all day. “Can you explain what happened there?”

Psaki said that Biden and Harris as well as “all of us” abide by CDC protocols.

“There were moments when she was not wearing a mask inside, including in a photo. But she was wearing it 99.9 percent of the time,” Psaki insisted.

The video in question was posted to Biden’s official Twitter account Saturday, captioned: “Yesterday, we witnessed a truly historic moment.”

Saturday’s post conflicts with Friday’s statements made by Psaki that Harris, along with others, wore a face mask “before they went out” to the Rose Garden to celebrate the confirmation of Judge Ketanji Brown Jackson to the Supreme Court.

Highlights from Friday’s festivities showed footage from inside the Oval Office where Harris, First Lady Jill Biden, Second Gentleman Doug Emhoff, Jackson, and members of the confirmed judge’s family gathered around Biden maskless.

Psaki defended Harris when she gave Jackson a hug unmasked Friday at the White House ceremony after she came into close contact with Harris communications director Jamal Simmons who had tested positive Wednesday for COVID-19. Psaki claimed that the vice president was “wearing a mask inside” and that “when there was a private greet, they were all wearing masks, before they went out.”

Fox News reporter Peter Doocy asked about the Harris-Jackson embrace, to which Psaki appeared to acknowledge the mistake, saying Harris “was socially distanced for 99.9% of the event today, and she had an emotional moment, which is understandable.” Doocy reminded Psaki that Harris ditched the use of a face mask while presiding over the Senate confirmation for Jackson earlier on Thursday.

“She was playing an important role in confirming or overseeing the confirmation of the first black woman to the Supreme Court,” Psaki maintained, further asserting that the COVID-exposed Harris was “socially distanced from people for the vast, vast majority of her time overseeing that confirmation yesterday.”