The White House is facing questions about the timing of the news of former President Donald Trump’s indictment.
On Friday, a reporter noted Republicans have called the timing of the indictment “suspicious” because it came hours after House Republicans insisted they saw evidence supporting allegations against President Joe Biden.
She asked White House deputy press secretary Olivia Dalton, “Can you at least comment on whether there was any kind of coordination between the DOJ and the White House on the indictment?”
“We’re not going to comment on this,” Dalton responded.
She added, “I will tell you though, and confirm, as we said overnight that the president, senior staff found out just like everybody else last night — no advance knowledge that this was coming — found out from news reports just like everybody else across America.”
Listen to the exchange below:
"…timing is suspicious…because of those Burisma FBI documents coming out the same day. Can you at least comment on whether there was any kind of coordination between the DOJ and the White House?"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 9, 2023
Biden spokeswoman: "We're not going to comment" pic.twitter.com/WGXxNI7mbi
On Thursday, Trump said in a post on Truth Social he had been indicted for his handling of classified documents.
Trump says he has been indicted on federal charges in Mar-a-Lago case and has to report to courthouse in Miami on Tuesday — the first time in history a former president has been indicted on federal charges. Trump was indicted earlier this year in NY in the hush-money payment case pic.twitter.com/4nDbcgokLk
— Manu Raju (@mkraju) June 8, 2023
The Wall Street Journal noted federal investigators have been building a case that claims the former president “deliberately withheld sensitive documents related to U.S. intelligence and defense plans, even after prosecutors demanded the return of all such documents last year.”
Trump’s post came hours after House Republicans viewed an FBI document known as an FD-1023.
Fox News reports House Republicans say the document contains allegations made by a confidential human source about Biden’s time as vice president.
It reportedly alleges he engaged in a $5 million bribery scheme.
Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) told Fox News Digital that Republicans saw “damning evidence the sitting president of the United States sold out his country in an ongoing bribery scheme.”
Biden brushed off the accusations when he was asked about them on Thursday as he asked, “Where’s the money?”
“I’m joking. It’s a bunch of malarky,” he added.