US State Department spokesperson Jennifer Sacchi said that Washington's reaction to the verdict acquitting former President Hosni Mubarak of killing protesters during the January 2011 revolution was ridiculous.
According to ABC News, Sacchi was not aware that her remark was heard in the loudspeakers when she said it to a reporter after she left the podium at the daily press conference on Monday.
Sacchi also said the United States still believes that neutral accountability and political consensus are important for the stability of Egypt and its economy in the long term.
“You you can refer to Egyptian officials if you want comments on the acquittal,” she said, which confused the reporters who considered it a “tepid” response to a “strong” verdict.
ABC News felt that Sacchi was frustrated and could not say what she believed in public, which reflects the complex relationship between Washington and Cairo, a key partner in maintaining peace in the region.
It also said that the US Administration was criticized for not supporting the ouster of Mubarak when it was encouraging him behind the scenes to step down, which he did in the end.
Edited translation from Al-Masry Al-Youm
