White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday blamed “hate-filled rhetoric and language” around the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic as a driving force behind an uptick in hate crimes against Asian Americans.
Psaki’s remarks came in response to a reporter who questioned the White House’s response to a rise in crime against Asian Americans and recent statements from Olympic snowboarder Chloe Kim, who, according to the Associated Press, said she faced daily torment online and fears for the safety of her parents when she learns of assaults on Asians in America.
“The president has put into place a task force. He has hired a senior level staffer to be a representative and speak to these threats, the concerns and these fears felt by the Asian American community,” Psaki said. “There’s a number of steps we need to take, and continue to take, to address.”
“We’ve seen this rise unfortunately because of hate filled rhetoric and language around the origins of the pandemic,” she added. “That is something that Asian Americans across the country have been feeling.”
Affirming that President Biden is “absolutely committed” to addressing the situation, Psaki praised Kim, saying that she was “incredibly courageous and brave” to speak out about the “fear she had, the fear she has for her family members.”