The White House press briefings have become a stage for sharp exchanges between Press Secretary Jen Psaki and Fox News correspondent Peter Doocy. Their duels offer insights into rightwing critiques of President Joe Biden and the administration's strategy to neutralise them.
Doocy, 34, often crafts questions aimed at creating viral moments or 'gotcha' headlines. For instance, on 16 July, he asked about the administration 'spying' on Facebook profiles for vaccine information – an assertion Psaki swiftly dismissed as inaccurate, citing publicly available data.
Psaki, 42, balances patience with firm rebuttals, avoiding any loss of temper. When Doocy questioned the credibility of vaccines given breakthrough cases among vaccinated Texas Democrats, Psaki turned the narrative to highlight the vaccines' effectiveness in preventing severe illness and death.
The dynamic marks a shift from the Trump era, when Fox News enjoyed a friendly relationship with the White House. Now, the network represents a leading voice of dissent in the briefing room, challenging the Biden administration on pandemic policy and other issues.
Psaki's approach has earned her a following on social media, with her cutting phrases dubbed '#PsakiBombs'. Yet she walks a fine line, maintaining courtesy while putting Doocy in his place with well-calibrated responses.
