White House press secretary Jen Psaki on Tuesday said President Joe Biden has never been ambushed by a cake as she responded to a question on the controversial parties at Number 10 Downing Street, including a birthday bash for Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
'Has the president ever been ambushed by cake? Not that I'm aware of,' Psaki said at her daily press briefing.
A UK government official said Johnson was 'ambushed' with a birthday cake while working at Number 10 after it was revealed the PM attended a gathering, complete with a Union Jack cake and singing, that was organized by his wife Carrie in the Cabinet Room on June 19, 2020. That was the date of his 56th birthday.
The UK was under strict COVID lockdown rules at the time and the ensuing fallout of 'PartyGate' has endangered Johnson's prime ministership.
Psaki didn't comment on 'PartyGate' but did stress the U.S. and UK have an 'important partnership' and praised the British for their help with the situation in the Ukraine.
She also said she hasn't spoken with President Biden about Johnson's career-threatening scandal.
'I have not spoken with him specifically about the reports in the UK. But what I can tell you is that he is confident in the important partnership we have with the United Kingdom - the role they play as an important partner and making clear to Russia the unacceptable nature of the buildup of troops and their bellicose rhetoric as it relates to Ukraine. And that certainly has not changed despite cakes in anyone's faces,' Psaki said.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said President Joe Biden has never been ambushed by a cake as she responded to a question on the controversial parties at Number 10 Downing Street, including a birthday bash for Prime Minister Boris Johnson
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said she has not spoken to President Joe Biden about the 'PartyGate' scandal in the UK that has threatened Prime Minister Boris Johnson's career
A UK government official said Prime Minister Boris Johnson was 'ambushed' with a birthday cake, noting PM was just in the room working when staff brought him the treat
Last week Northern Ireland Minister Conor Burns defended Johnson, saying the PM was 'ambushed' with a birthday bash as outrage grew among the British public over reports of at least 12 parties during lockdown, three of which were attended by Johnson.
Burns explained the PM was working in the room before people came in and presented him with the baked treat, adding: 'He, as far as I can see, he was in a sense, ambushed with a cake.'
An investigation by the British government found that Downing Street suffers from a culture of 'excessive' workplace drinking that led to social gatherings during the COVID pandemic lockdowns.
'There were failures of leadership and judgment by different parts of No. 10 and the Cabinet Office at different times,' wrote senior civil servant Sue Gray in her report. 'Some of the events should not have been allowed to take place. Other events should not have been allowed to develop as they did.'
The British public was outraged over reports Number 10 staff held gatherings - complete with alcohol and snacks - with colleagues during a period when the government was urging the public to avoid socializing, even with close friends
