President Joe Biden and Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy got into a testy exchange on Monday over the President's planned response to Russia's potential use of chemical weapons amid the crisis in Ukraine.
The back and forth started when Doocy asked a question during a press conference about how Biden's so-called "walk-back" on certain statements related to Russia will be taken by the rest of the world.
Particularly on the topic of chemical weapon use by Russia, Doocy said:
"When you said that a chemical weapon use by Russia would trigger a response in kind..."
Biden responded:
"It would trigger a significant response."
Doocy followed up by asking what that response would be. Biden then derailed the questioning.
He said the following:
"I'm not going to tell you."
"Why would I tell you?"
"You've got to be silly!"
Doocy chirped back:
"The world wants to know."
To this Biden said:
"The world wants to know a lot of things."
"I'm not telling them what the response would be."
"Then Russia knows the response."
Biden then moved on to other questions.
You can watch the video of the press conference below:
Twitter was so here for Biden's smackdown.
Biden and Doocy have a famously tense relationship. In January, Biden called the Fox reporter “a stupid son of a b***h” on live television for asking how rising inflation in the U.S. would impact the midterm election results. Though they've managed to maintain a relatively professional since then.
Doocy said President Biden called him within an hour of the January exchange:
“He said, "It’s nothing personal, pal.’”
Many agree that the relationship between Biden and Doocy is not one of hate or disrespect. Unlike the relationship between the press and the Trump administration, Biden remains respectful and eager to provide a platform for reporters.
Some people even find their relationship to be endearing.
Though tumultuous at times, Biden and Doocy's relationship is productive, and they each allow one another the space to do their respective jobs.
