White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki is known for making awkward jokes. They're usually an attempt to deflect one of the few hard questions she gets, almost always an effort to downplay a serious situation the Biden administration clearly can't handle, and they rarely land.
Today's offering was no exception - the only difference being, it may have been her worse (and most ill-timed) attempt at humor yet.
"Sanctions were imposed today by Russia on yourself, President Biden, other top US officials," a reporter began during Tuesday's press briefing, referring to Russia's ban on travel for Biden and other U.S. politicians and bureaucrats.
"Do you have a response to that, and how will it impact you, if at all?" she asked.
"I would first note that President Biden is a junior. So they may have sanctioned his dad, may he rest in peace,” Psaki jokingly responded.
"The second piece, I would say, is that won't surprise any of you, that none of us are planning tourist trips to Russia," Psaki said. "None of us have bank accounts that we won't be able to access. So we will forge ahead."
Psaki asked about Russia sanctioning President Joe Biden:
— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) March 15, 2022
"I would first note that President Biden is a junior. So they may have sanctioned his dad, may he rest in peace." pic.twitter.com/CXmhkxHyAl
To remind, the Russia-Ukraine conflict and subsequent fallout she’s making light of has left hundreds dead (including women, children, anda Fox News cameraman) and hundreds more wounded (also including women, children, and a U.S. reporter). It’s also helped drive up the cost of gas in the United States to historic highs thanks to our continued dependency on foreign oil, hitting Americans in the wallet even after inflation had already reached a 40-year high with no sign of slowing down.
Related: Biden's 'Putin's Price Hike' Line Is a Lie - and We Have the Receipts
Meanwhile, while low- and middle-income Americans struggle to fill up their tanks and devastated families are left to bury their dead, a wildly out-of-her-depth Vice President Kamala Harris has been busy embarrassing herself on the world stage while Biden attempts to blame Americans’ economic woes on Putin and says he can’t do much about them in the near-term.
But sure, Jen. Plenty to joke about – if you’re raking in a cushy salary on the taxpayers’ dime while everyday Americans are left to bear the brunt of this administration’s terrible policy decisions.
Laugh it up.