Why The White House's Reaction to O.J. Simpson's Death Is Raising Eyebrows
WASHINGTON, DC - APRIL 11: White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre speaks at a news conference in the Brady Press Briefing Room at the White House on April 11, 2024 in Washington, DC. Jean-Pierre took questions about Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's recent conversation with U.S. President Joe Biden, abortion access, and other topics. (Photo by Andrew Harnik/Getty Images)
The White House has raised some eyebrows over the nature of its response to the death of O.J. Simpson.
Simpson’s family announced that the former NFL star died on Wednesday, April 10, following a battle with cancer. He was 76.
The public’s reaction to Simpson’s death has been mixed, with many people using the moment to remember Nicole Brown Simpson and Ron Goldman, the two people that Simpson was accused of murdering in 1994. While Simpson was acquitted in the murder trial of his ex-wife and Goldman, he was found liable in a wrongful death civil case that the victims’ families filed against him a few years later.
When a reporter asked Karine Jean-Pierre during a Thursday, April 11 press briefing if President Joe Biden had a reaction to the news of Simpson’s death, the White House press secretary’s response was brief.
“Our thoughts are with his family during this difficult time,” Jean-Pierre said. “Obviously with his family and loved ones. And I’ll say this: I know that they have asked for some privacy, and so we’re going to respect that. I’ll just leave it there.”
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In the wake of Jean-Pierre’s comments, many people inquired about the statement on social media.
“Did the White House really send condolences to the OJ Simpson family?” one person asked on X, voicing a question that was echoed many times online. Others wondered why the White House felt the “need” to address questions about Simpson’s death.
Several public figures and people close to the 1994 murder victims have spoken out in the hours since Simpson’s family announced his passing. Among them was Goldman’s father, who said in a statement to Us Weekly that the news was “a further reminder of how long Ron has been gone and how long we have missed him.”
Meanwhile, Marcia Clark, who served as the lead prosecutor in Simpson’s murder trial, also shared condolences for Simpson’s family in the wake of his death.
“I send my condolences to Mr. Simpson's family,” Clark said in a statement shared with Entertainment Tonight.
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