The belief that the prime minister of Israel is “chickenshit” is “not the administration’s view,” a spokesperson for the National Security Council says in a statement. Jeffrey Goldberg of the Atlantic reported Tuesday that a “senior administration official” viewed Benjamin Netanyahu, the prime minister of Israel, as the most frustrating foreign leader to the White House and the State Department.
“The thing about Bibi is, he’s a chickenshit,” the offical told Goldberg. However, the White House’s NSC does not dispute the fact the comment was made.
Ali Baskey, a member of the press staff for the NSC, responded to questions about that comment with an official statement. “Certainly that’s not the Administration’s view, and we think such comments are inappropriate and counter-productive,” Baskey said. “Prime Minister Netanyahu and the President have forged an effective partnership, and consult closely and frequently, including earlier this month when the President hosted the Prime Minister in the Oval Office.” Baskey did not deny that someone within the administration made that comment.
TWS received the statement after asking the Office of the Vice President if the anonymous comments were made by Vice President Joe Biden. Biden spokesperson Kendra Barkoff did not confirm or deny that Biden was the official quoted by Goldberg. A similiar request to State Department spokesperson Jen Psaki, asking if Secretary of State John Kerry or any other State Department officials made the “chickenshit” comment, has not been answered, nor has a request to the White House press office.
