Biden Aide Anita Dunn Grilled on President's Taiwan, Putin, and Xi Jinping Remarks

Role in the Biden White House

• 📌 Anita Dunn, a Senior Advisor, generally saw President Biden three to four times a week, with interaction frequency varying based on upcoming speeches or foreign trips.
• 💡 Her primary role in the White House focused on press and communications strategy, though she was involved in responding to presidential remarks that could be considered gaffes.
• ⚠️ Dunn noted that during intense national security periods, her direct contact with the President decreased, and she was not as involved in national security policy as others.

Comments on Putin and Taiwan

• 🗣️ Dunn recalled President Biden's speech in Warsaw where he stated, "For God's sake, this man cannot remain in power," referring to Putin, but did not recall being shocked by the remarks.
• 🇺🇸 Regarding Taiwan, Dunn confirmed she had returned to the White House by May 2022 when President Biden stated he would "militarily" defend Taiwan, a comment at odds with stated US policy of strategic ambiguity.
• 🤝 She stated she was not involved in any strategy or decisions related to the response to Biden's Taiwan comments, believing the National Security Council and Jake Sullivan took the lead.

Remarks on Xi Jinping

• 🇨🇳 Dunn was not on the trip when President Biden called Chinese President Xi Jinping a dictator in June 2023.
• 💬 She stated that as a senior advisor, she did not play a significant role in national security communications and was not involved in discussions about whether Xi Jinping should be publicly called a dictator.
• ✅ Dunn believes President Biden said what he meant to say and that presidents are elected to make such statements.