White House Pressed on Nuclear Response after Biden's 8 p.m. Deadline

Fox News reporter Peter Doocy grilled White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on who the Pentagon would contact if a nuclear missile was fired toward the U.S. after 8 p.m., when President Biden has reportedly decided to end his workday.

Fox News senior White House correspondent Peter Doocy has raised questions about the White House's nuclear response plan after President Biden's announcement that he would end his workday at 8 p.m. to get more sleep.

During a press briefing on Tuesday, Doocy asked White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre who the Pentagon would call if a nuclear missile were fired toward the U.S. after 8 p.m.

White House Pressed on Nuclear Response after Biden's 8 p.m. Deadline

Jean-Pierre responded that the president has a team to let him know of any news that is "pertinent and important" to the American people. She also said Biden has someone he appointed to get the news from the National Security Council should that scenario ever happen.

Who that person is, Jean-Pierre did not say.

White House Pressed on Nuclear Response after Biden's 8 p.m. Deadline

Doocy also asked if Biden's wife, Jill Biden, was making decisions or advising the president while attending meetings in the Oval Office after 8 p.m.

"No, the president is the president of the United States. He makes decisions," Jean-Pierre said.

White House Pressed on Nuclear Response after Biden's 8 p.m. Deadline

The questioning came after Doocy asked Jean-Pierre if the president was committed to serving a full second term if elected. The press secretary answered, "Yes."

The correspondent then told Jean-Pierre the president said his health is fine, but "it’s just his brain and that he’s as sharp as before."

White House Pressed on Nuclear Response after Biden's 8 p.m. Deadline

Jean-Pierre quickly jumped in to tell Doocy that Biden was "joking," to set the record straight.

"What’s the joke?" Doocy asked, before being told by Jean-Pierre that Biden was making a "lighthearted joke."

White House Pressed on Nuclear Response after Biden's 8 p.m. Deadline

"That he has a problem with his brain?" Doocy asked.

"He was speaking off the cuff and making a joke," Jean-Pierre said. "You know the president. He likes to joke a lot. He’s the same guy who says, ‘I know I look 40,’ right? So, he likes to make jokes."

Doocy questioned how that was a joke and was told people laugh when Biden says it.

Biden's comments about his 8 p.m. deadline and his age have raised concerns about his fitness for office. Biden is the oldest person to ever serve as president of the United States.

In June, Biden stumbled several times during a debate with former President Donald Trump, further fueling concerns about his mental acuity.

Despite these concerns, Jean-Pierre has repeatedly defended Biden's health and fitness for office.

"The president is healthy," Jean-Pierre said during a press briefing in July. "He is fit for duty, and he is fully capable of carrying out the duties of the office."

However, Doocy's questions on Tuesday have raised fresh doubts about Biden's ability to handle a nuclear crisis. If a nuclear missile were fired toward the U.S. after 8 p.m., it is unclear who the Pentagon would contact to alert the president.

The White House has not yet provided a clear answer to this question, which could raise concerns about the chain of command and the ability to respond to a nuclear threat.