Anita Dunn, who was a senior adviser to former President Joe Biden, defended him during a five-hour closed-door deposition at the House Oversight Committee Thursday.
Dunn told investigators that while she observed a “physical” decline in Biden during his four years in office, she maintained the belief that he was calling the shots and mentally engaged in decision-making at the White House.
“From what I experienced and observed in the White House, President Biden made all of the important decisions expected of someone serving as the president of the United States,” she told the committee, according to her prepared remarks obtained by ABC News.
Dunn refused to answer any questions from reporters as she arrived and later left the deposition.
But her statement indicates she believes Biden was fit to serve and West Wing staff did not usurp his power.
“I did not observe White House staff making key decisions or exercising the powers of the presidency without President Biden’s knowledge or consent,” Dunn testified, according to the prepared remarks. “The President made it clear that decisions rested with him, and White House staff brought issues to him for him to decide.”
Her remarks continued, “Before scheduling a press interview or releasing statements under his name, we sought his approval, and he was an active participant in the preparation of his speeches and public statements. While I observed that President Biden aged physically during his time in office, which is something that happens to every President, he remained throughout my interactions with him fully engaged and clear in his directions and supervision. His ability to probe, to find the weakness in an argument, and to make well-informed decisions, did not change during my time in the White House.”
MORE: Former Biden adviser Mike Donilon testifies in House committee probe into Biden mental fitness
House Republicans reacted to Dunn’s closed-door interview, saying Dunn “revealed” that Biden’s “inner circle” decided against a cognitive test, concluding it would offer no political benefit, a source familiar with her account told ABC News.
Dunn confirmed that President Biden’s team decided against doing a 2024 Super Bowl interview due to information contained in the special counsel Robert Hur’s report that probed Biden’s handing of sensitive documents and questioned his mental fitness.
She is the latest Biden official to answer questions after several former senior officials invoked their Fifth Amendment right to not answer questions.
