White House Pressured on Kansas City Chiefs Kicker Harrison Butker's Invitation

Amid uproar over his commencement speech criticizing President Biden and abortion, CNN reporter MJ Lee grilled White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on whether Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker is still welcome at the White House. Jean-Pierre reiterated that all Super Bowl-winning teams are typically invited, but did not explicitly confirm Butker's status.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre faced scrutiny from a CNN reporter over the status of Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker's invitation to the White House following his controversial commencement speech.

During Friday's press briefing, CNN senior White House correspondent MJ Lee posed the question, "Can we still assume that the Kansas City Chiefs will be visiting the White House this year in celebration of their Super Bowl victory?"

Jean-Pierre responded by saying, "The championship winner of any sports team is always welcomed to the White House. So, as it relates to the Chiefs, the Chiefs will be invited. That's what happens for every Super Bowl championship winner, and everyone on the team is invited."

Lee pressed further, "So can you confirm — you said everyone on the team is obviously invited. Is the Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker welcomed at this White House?"

Jean-Pierre replied, "What I can say is we invite the entire team and we do that always. I don't have anything beyond that."

Lee continued, "Given his recent comments, is he specifically welcomed at this point in time?"

Jean-Pierre doubled down, "We invite the team, we invite the team. It's an invitation that goes to the team, and so it's up to the team who comes and doesn't come. It's the way it usually works."

Butker's commencement speech at the private Catholic school Benedictine College ignited a firestorm on the political left. He criticized President Biden, praised his wife for being a "homemaker," and expressed his opposition to abortion.

The uproar stems from Butker's comments regarding Biden and abortion. He said, "We have a president who campaigned as a moderate, yet has governed as a radical. We have policies being enacted that are dividing us more than ever before." He continued, "We have innocent babies being ripped from the womb and sacrificed to the altar of choice. We have people who claim to fight for the rights of others, but turn their heads and ignore the pleas of the most innocent among us."

These remarks drew sharp criticism from liberal media outlets and commentators. Many accused Butker of using his platform to promote his personal political views.

Despite the controversy, Butker received support from conservative commentators and fellow NFL players. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes expressed his support for Butker, saying, "I've known Harrison for a long time and he's a great person. He's entitled to his own opinions."

The White House's handling of the situation has been met with mixed reactions. Some criticize the White House for not explicitly confirming Butker's invitation, while others view Jean-Pierre's responses as appropriate.

The Chiefs' visit to the White House is expected to take place later this spring. It remains to be seen whether Butker will attend, and the issue is likely to continue to be a source of debate.