Jen Psaki's Homophobic Tweet to Senator Graham Receives Online Backlash

White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki Holds Daily Briefing
Getty Images: Chip Somodevilla / Staff

Jen Psaki was condemned for her homophobic tweet as it resurfaced from last year in which she used a word to describe Republican Sen. Lindsey Graham that some consider a homophobic tweet slur.

The tweet, dated Aug. 5, 2020, was sent before the Senate Judiciary Committee, which Graham chaired, as the former acting Attorney General Sally Yates was set to testify.

"Only in 2020 does #LadyG get to push a bunch of debunked conspiracy theories while questioning @SallyQYates (aka an American hero)," Psaki tweeted in August 2020, before being hired as President Biden's press secretary.

The tweet, which was visible as of Wednesday afternoon on Psaki's account, ruffled feathers because of using the word "Lady G," which is used by those who challenge Graham's sexuality on social media.

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Despite the mounting uproar, the tweet had not been deleted as of Wednesday afternoon. The tweet seemed to reference an article in the Washington Post 2020 that detailed allegations made against Sen. Lindsey Graham on Twitter by gay porn star Sean Harding. On the Left, Graham's opponents have used derogatory remarks against the South Carolina lawmaker for a long time, insinuating that he is a near gay guy because he is single.

Many personalities condemned the tweet. One of them is Steve Krakauer, Editor of Fourth Watch.

"If you want to know what a double media standard looks like, Jen Psaki, as a CNN employee, can tweet this, get hired to be a White House press secretary, and not even feel compelled to delete it after it was unsurfaced a few days ago," Steve Krakauer wrote. "She doesn't care. She's on the same tea," he ends his quote.

While Richard Grenell, the first openly gay person to serve in a Cabinet-level role under Trump as acting director of national intelligence, tweeted, "Homophobia and intolerance from the Left are growing. This should be widely condemned."

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Jen Psaki on a homophobic tweet to Graham

Psaki hasn't responded yet to the media request to comment on this issue, but many were disappointed in her tweet. Many media personalities and influencers have retweeted the said tweet condemning its message.

"Very disappointed someone in her position would embrace this style of politics. It says more about her than it does about Senator Graham," Kevin Bishop, spokesman for Sen. Graham, told Fox News.

Graham is not new to this kind of comment towards his sexuality. In 2019, Rep. Ilhan Omar said that after saying Graham was "compromised." he was sentenced.

Omar's unfounded comment came on the same day that Stephanie Ruhle, anchor of MSNBC, came under fire for claiming that Trump was blackmailing Graham over "something pretty extreme."

After comedian-turned-activist Chelsea Handler also targeted him in a homophobic tweet, Graham refuted reports about sexual orientation in 2018. Handler wrote in her tweet, "If you're wondering why Republicans took a sick day today, it's probably because it's #NationalComingOutDay. Looking at you @LindseyGrahamSC."

Graham shrugged off the criticism of Handler and dismissed the idea of conspiracy.

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Homophobia, Jen Psaki, Hngn
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