DONOVAN SLACK, POLITICO: I just want to return to Beyonce and Jay-Z. Jay-Z released a rap today, I know the other day you said that Treasury was the one that cleared their trip, he suggested that he got White House permission – that he personally spoke with the president. I’ll just quote: “I turned Havana into Atlanta. Boy from the hood, I got White House Clearance. Obama said chill you gonna get me impeached. You don’t need this expletive anyway, chill with me on the beach."



JAY CARNEY: I guess nothing rhymes with Treasury, because Treasury offers and gives licenses for travel, as you know, and the White House has nothing to do with it.



SLACK: So are you saying that he did not, the president, did not have a conversation with Jay-Z?



JAY CARNEY: I am absolutely saying that the White House, from the president on down, had nothing to do with anybody's personal -- anybody's travel to Cuba. That is something that Treasury handles.



SLACK: You can't rhyme that?



CARNEY: It's a song, Donovan. The president did not communicate with Jay-Z over this trip.