Biden Declines to Shield Trump WH Records From 1/6 Committee, Invoke Executive Privilege

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President Joe Biden will not use executive privilege to protect former President Donald Trump by hiding his records from an investigation into the January 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, Press Secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday.

A journalist had asked Psaki at a briefing about comments Trump had made regarding his intent to use executive privilege to block subpoenas issued to former Trump advisors by the House Select Committee to investigate the January 6 attack.

Psaki said she was not aware of any outreach from the former president and said the administration does not "get regular outreach" from the Trump camp. In regards to how the Biden administration would proceed, she offered the following comments:

"The president has already concluded that it would not be appropriate to assert executive privilege," she said. "And so, we will respond promptly to these questions as they arise and certainly as they come up from Congress."

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White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden would not shield the Trump administration from the 1/6 committee. Here, she speaks during a news briefing on February 16 in Washington, D.C. Photo by NICHOLAS KAMM/AFP via Getty Images

About the writer

Alex J. Rouhandeh serves as a special correspondent for Newsweek and is currently working toward his Master of Arts within the politics concentration at Columbia University's Graduate School of Journalism where he serves as the school's student representative in the University Senate and the Student Leadership Advisory Council of the Columbia Alumni Association.

Previously, he served as Newsweek's congressional correspondent, reporting from Capitol Hill and the campaign trail. Over his tenure with Newsweek, Alex has covered the speakership of Mike Johnson, the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy, the midterm elections of 2022, the Russo-Ukrainian War, and other key congressional stories of the Biden presidency.

Alex additionally provides coverage of Newsweek ownership and has produced investigative reporting on legal troubles facing the Olivet Assembly, a religious entity to which Newsweek's two owners formerly held ties.

Prior to covering Congress, Alex reported on matters of U.S. national security, holding press credentials for both the U.S. Capitol and the Department of Defense. Before joining Newsweek, Alex wrote for The American Prospect, Vice News, WDIV-TV NBC Local 4 News in Detroit, and other regional outlets.

His entry into the media industry began at Syracuse University where he majored in magazine journalism and produced award-winning coverage of the U.S.-Mexico border. At Syracuse, Alex also completed majors in policy studies as well as citizenship & civic engagement and was recognized as a Remembrance Scholar, one of the university's highest honors.

Alex was selected by the National Press Foundation to serve as a Paul Miller Washington Reporting fellow in 2024. He holds memberships with the National Press Club in Washington, D.C., the Society of Professional Journalists (SPJ), and the Investigative Reporters & Editors (IRE) organization.

Contact Alex with tips and feedback at a.rouhandeh@newsweek.com, and stay updated on his reporting by following him on social media at @AlexRouhandeh.


Alex J. Rouhandeh serves as a special correspondent for Newsweek and is currently working toward his Master of Arts within ... Read more