White House adamantly refuses to comment on Trump indictment during tense press briefing

The White House says it does not comment on ongoing criminal cases

The world may be watching former president Donald Trump face an unprecedented arrest and indictment in a New York City courtroom, but the White House is keeping completely mum on the subject.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Tuesday spent much of her daily press briefing parrying queries from reporters who attempted to push her into commenting on Mr Trump’s legal troubles.

Over and over, Ms Jean-Pierre cited the Biden administration’s practice of not commenting on pending criminal proceedings.

To one reporter, she said Mr Trump’s current predicament was “an ongoing case”.

“So we’re not going to comment on the case specifically itself,” she said, adding that President Joe Biden “is going to focus on the American people like he does every day” rather than spend his time thinking about his predecessor.

“Obviously he will catch part of the news when he when he has a moment to catch up on the news of the day. But that is not his focus for today,” she said.

Pressed further on whether she would address inflammatory comments and threats from Mr Trump directed at Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg and New York Supreme Court Justice Juan Merchan — the judge who is hearing Mr Trump’s criminal case — Ms Jean-Pierre said the White House has “always” been “very clear” about condemning “any form of violence” but stressed that she would not “get into anything that is touching or relating to the case”.

“We're just not going to comment from here. And I'm just going to leave it there for now,” she said.

The Biden administration’s practice of refraining from commenting on ongoing criminal matters is a stark departure from Mr Trump’s tenure in the White House.

As president, he exhibited no qualms about calling for the prosecution of prominent Democrats and attacking prosecutors who were running probes into him and his associates.