Biden officials don't know how much the student loan debt handout will cost
Fox News White House correspondent Peter Doocy has the latest on President Joe Biden's student loan debt write-off on 'Special Report.'
Social media blasted White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre for failing to respond to more questions about President Biden’s student loan handouts announcement for the second day in a row on Thursday.
On Wednesday, Biden revealed plans to push $10,000 student loan handouts for borrowers earning less than $125,000 and up to $20,000 for federal Pell Grants students. According to the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, this plan will cost between $440 billion and $600 billion over the next 10 years, an increase from the previous prediction of approximately $300 billion.
While some Democrats have defended the plan, some mainstream media pundits have questioned the Biden administration on details about the handouts such as the exact cost and how the White House plans to pay for it.
Reporters continued to ask Jean-Pierre these questions one day later.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre holds the daily press briefing at the White House, Aug. 25, 2022. (Reuters)
"We do believe it will be fully paid because of the work this president has done with the economy," Jean-Pierre insisted without providing a direct answer.
She later added that the White House "doesn’t want to get ahead of ourselves" when describing how much taxpayers will have to pay for the handouts.
Several Twitter users attacked Jean-Pierre for avoiding serious questions on the student debt handouts.
Republican communicator Matt Whitlock tweeted, "She literally doesn't know anything at all. Either A) this is all just so half-baked there are no answers (most-likely scenario. Or B) they know some answers but don't want to share because it's all political suicide. Either way, what a week for the ‘restore integrity’ admin.
Rep. Pat Fallon, R-Texas, joked, "Reporter: Who is paying for this?! Karine Jean-Pierre: 2 + 2 = Cat."
Radio host Clay Travis tweeted, "The Biden administration is simultaneously saying the student debt policy is paid for and that they don’t know how much it will cost. This is completely impossible. Credit to the White House reporters asking these questions."
Domestic policy adviser Susan Rice speaks on President Biden’s announcement of student loan debt forgiveness as press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Deputy Director of the National Economic Council Bharat Ramamurti listen during a daily White House press briefing, Aug. 24, 2022. (Alex Wong/Getty Images)
Heritage Foundation media director John Cooper wrote, "Absolutely painful watching Karine Jean-Pierre try to answer the New York Times' Michael Shear's question about how this student loan bailout is being paid for. All she's got is ‘we've done it in a fiscally responsible way’ over and over, but can't explain how."
Manhattan Institute senior fellow Brian Riedl tweeted, "This is so nonsensical that my head hurts. And she sounds like someone trying to bulls--- her through an oral exam that she didn't study for."
"It'll be paid for by saddling these students' children with debt," Cato Institute editorial director Christian Schneider wrote.
BIDEN WHITE HOUSE FUMBLES BASIC QUESTIONS ON STUDENT LOAN HANDOUT, WON’T ANSWER WHO WILL PAY FOR IT
Jean-Pierre was one of many White House officials who attempted to dodge questions regarding how much the plan will cost and who will pay for it after its announcement.
The White House has refused to explain how much the student debt handouts plan will cost and who will pay for it. (Susan Walsh/Michael Brochstein/AP/Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
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"When you think about the $4 billion that's going to go back into, as revenue, back into this process as folks paying their college tuition, that matters as well," she said on Wednesday. "We're doing this in a smart way. We're doing this in a way that's going to be effective."
Fox News’ Nikolas Lanum contributed to this report.