WATCH: Psaki Refuses to Condemn Communism in Cuba

Imagine being an American, one who speaks on behalf of the leader of the free world, and refusing to condemn communism. How much more un-American can you get than that?

On Wednesday, a reporter asked White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki about the root cause of the protests and crisis happening in Cuba.

“As the administration tries to figure out the ‘root causes’ of migration to the country, don’t we know that the reason people want to leave Cuba is because they don’t like communism?” he asked. “Do you think people are leaving Cuba because they don’t like communism?”

“I think we’ve been pretty clear that we think people are leaving Cuba, or not — leaving Cuba, or protesting in the streets, as well, because they are opposed to the oppression, to the mismanagement of the government in the country,” Psaki replied. “And we certainly support their right to protest, we support their efforts to speak out against their treatment in Cuba.”

“I will say, separately, an important question is also what happens when people are seeking protection, or what happens when they are attempting to flee,” she added. “In the past, as I noted, we’ve had several humanitarian programs … But certainly, we have said many times, and I will reiterate here, that we support not just the role of the protest, and peaceful protests, we stand with the Cuban people in their call for freedom from both the pandemic and from decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime.”

Notice how she completely avoided the word "communism"? Would it really have been so hard for her speak out against the tyranny and condemn communism in that long, roundabout answer?

WATCH: 

TRANSCRIPT:

REPORTER: As the administration tries to figure out the “root causes” of migration to the country, don’t we know that the reason people want to leave Cuba is because they don’t like communism?

JEN PSAKI: We–

REPORTER: And so as you’re trying to figure out, like, what the processes are for these people who want to leave Cuba, is —

PSAKI: Well, I’m not sure what your question is.

REPORTER: You guys have spent a lot of time —

PSAKI: Why are people leaving Cuba, or what is the process for them getting here? I can explain either of them, but you tell me.

REPORTER: Sure, yeah. Do you think people are leaving Cuba because they don’t like communism ?

PSAKI: I think we’ve been pretty clear that we think people are leaving Cuba, or not — leaving Cuba, or protesting in the streets, as well, because they are opposed to the oppression, to the mismanagement of the government in the country. And we certainly support their right to protest, we support their efforts to speak out against their treatment in Cuba. I will say, separately, an important question is also what happens when people are seeking protection, or what happens when they are attempting to flee. In the past, as I noted, we’ve had several humanitarian programs … But certainly, we have said many times, and I will reiterate here, that we support not just the role of the protest, and peaceful protests, we stand with the Cuban people in their call for freedom from both the pandemic and from decades of repression and economic suffering to which they have been subjected by Cuba’s authoritarian regime.