Karine Jean-Pierre defends Biden during closed door interview in House autopen probe

Former White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Friday reportedly defended former President Joe Biden in a closed-door interview regarding the House Oversight Committee's probe of Biden's failing mental acuity, its cover-up by those who worked with him and his use of an autopen at the end of his term.

Biden allegedly authorized the use of the pen late last year to sign numerous pardons. Some of those pardons were for his family members, including his brothers, James Biden and Francis Biden, sister Valerie Biden Owens and sister-in-law Sara Jones Biden. The pardon for his son, Hunter, was actually personally signed by the then-president.

House Oversight Chairman James Comer has subpoenaed a wide range of senior White House officials to sit for interviews in the probe, including former White House chief of staff Ron Klain and former Senior Advisor to the President Michael Donilon.

Jean-Pierre told House investigators that she did not see a change in Biden's competency during his four years in office, but she did see a change in his speaking.

"She did acknowledge President Biden is not the same speaker he was when she met him," a source told Fox News. "She does not know why his speaking changed and never asked him."

She also told investigators that she was told by senior staff that Biden had a cold last year while he was debating President Donald Trump. Backlash over his debate performance eventually led to him dropping his bid for reelection.

She additionally said that talking points are often placed in her press briefing binders by various administration officials but comments on Biden's mental acuity and overall health were "handled exclusively at the senior level."

Jean-Pierre, who has staunchly defended the former president and even left the Democratic Party over its alleged betrayal of Biden, is expected to be one of the last Biden administration officials to be interviewed as the investigation comes to a close.

Misty Severi is a news reporter for Just The News. You can follow her on X for more coverage.