President Joe Biden is offering an explanation as to why he will not be attending Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s funeral.
The president, who is Catholic, faced questions Wednesday about why he was not planning on attending the funeral.
“Well, why do you think?” Biden shot back.
The reporter responded, “You tell me.”
However, the president insisted, “You know why.”
The reporter pressed, “You can tell me.”
Finally, Biden explained there would likely be an “entourage of thousands of people.”
“I inquired about that,” he continued.
However, he added, “We would get in the way.”
Watch the video below:
Q: "You're not attending [Pope Benedict XVI's] funeral tomorrow, though. Why?"
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) January 4, 2023
BIDEN: "Well why do you think?
Q: "You tell me."
BIDEN: "You know why."
Q: "You can tell me, sir." pic.twitter.com/cl6kOaAFhX
Benedict became the first pope in nearly 600 years to resign when he did so in 2013.
He died at age 95 in a Vatican monastery on Saturday.
In a statement, Biden said Benedict will be “remembered as a renowned theologian, with a lifetime of devotion to the Church, guided by his principles and faith.”
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters on Wednesday that U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Joe Donnelly will represent the country at Benedict’s funeral “in line with the wishes of the late Pope and the Vatican “
JEAN-PIERRE was asked whether or not President Biden would be attending the Pope's funeral
— Daily Caller (@DailyCaller) January 3, 2023
JEAN-PIERRE: "The U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See…will represent the U.S. at the funeral…in line with the wishes of the late Pope and the Vatican…This is what their wishes were." pic.twitter.com/rKnjhIo5mg
“This is what their requests were. This is what their wishes were. And so, that’s what you’re seeing from the U.S.,” she added.
