Reporter Asks Psaki If Trump Is Responsible For Attacks On Asian Americans?

REPORTER: “[inaudible] last night in his speech to condemn attacks on Asian Americans, called un-American and wrong, they must stop. Does the President believe that his predecessor had anything to do with the rise in attacks on Asian Americans?”Show more

PSAKI: “I think the President has spoken about the concerns he had about the rhetoric and the provoking of hate speech by his predecessor, and I think he’s not made a secret about that. But we’re looking at this moment 50 days into an administration where there are still many in the Asian American community still live with fear, still are being threatened, still are being attacked, and he felt it was important for him as the President of the United States and leader of this country to make clear that that’s not acceptable and to condemn that during his first prime time address. And so that was more — not a reflection of his thinking about his predecessor, more about looking at what people are still facing in this moment.”

REPORTER: “Is there anything more the administration can do on this point? There’s a push on The Hill, I understand, to have a DOJ official take on this as problem. Is that something that the President would support, and if absent legislation, is there’s something he can do or order the Attorney General to do?”

PSAKI: “You know, I think he would expect the Attorney General would make decisions independently about how to best address, but I’m happy to talk with our policy team and see if there’s more. Obviously, he signed the executive order.”