01/23/24: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and John Kirby

Good afternoon everyone one thing at the top does it sound like the voice of God I don't know about that I don't think people would say that okay we'll try this again good afternoon everybody good afternoon today we learned that last year 19 States achieved their lowest average unemployment rate on record 20 2.

3 states sent new record low unemployment rate last year and 32 states had an unemployment rate below 4% for the entire year we created a total of 2.7 million jobs last year for a historic 13 14 14.3 million jobs created under President Biden all y wages are rising and inflation is falling and we've continued lowering cost for.

Families from Healthcare and prescription drugs to utility bills this is the heart of President Biden's strategy to grow the economy from the middle out and the bottom up now we're seeing consumer sentiment rise as more Americans feel the results of President Biden's economic plan and with that I said I was going to be real short I am.

Admiral John Kirby is here to give an update on the Middle East will I think as you all of you saw yesterday the militaries of the United States United Kingdom uh with support from Australia Bahrain Canada and the Netherlands all conducted an additional round of strikes against.

Houti Targets in Yemen these self-defense strikes targeted missile systems and launchers unmanned aerial and surface vessels storage facilities fighter aircraft helicopters and attack boats all with the goal of further degrading H the hou's ability to conduct further attacks on ships in the Red Sea initial reports from the Pentagon.

Indicate that all the targets were hit and that they will help further degrade houy offensive capabilities that said the Pentagon is still conducting uh a battle damage assessment so I'd refer you to them for any additional detail I just want to remind that the United States is acting in in part I'm sorry is acting as part of a coalition of.

Countries committed to the defense of our ships and our Sailors uh to upholding the freedom of navigation in a major International Waterway and of course to holding the houis accountable and as the president has made clear we will not hesit itate to take further action as appropriate um on the strikes yesterday.

You walks through a little bit of the uh when the president approved those strikes was that was there a new conv of his National Security team before that that operation or was that sort of the green lid a couple weeks ago in the one these St no this the these additional strikes yesterday required additional conversations and discussions across the.

National Security team and the president made the decision to authorize uh the this particular round of strikes uh very recently and with that National Security team did that include secretary Austin U when was the last time the president spoke with the SEC it would those discussions did include secretary Austin um I I don't have the exact time on the.

Calendar when those discussions happened but he was involved and engaged in all those discussions yeah and then I'm different topic um there's a report that the Israelis have presented a new CE a ceasefire a temporary uh ceasefire for a hostage deal um that two-month pause to release all the hostages and and the buys of of of civilians soldiers um can.

You confirm that is the US engaged as Brett's in the region right now is he trying to actively Dr Drum up support for that framework of of deal yeah I'm not able to confirm those specific reports uh that you're uh that you're talking about in The Press um Brett is in the region uh he was in Cairo today as a matter of fact and.

He'll have other stops along the way certainly one of the things he's in the region talking about is the potential for another hostage deal which would require a humanitarian pause of some length uh to to get that done and that's definitely on the agenda he'll also be talking about a range of other issues including humanitarian assistance.

Including um getting assessment of U Israeli Defense Force operations and the protection of civilian life I mean there's a lot on his agenda but I can't confirm these rep reports that those are the parameters of a deal that's being discussed the last thing I'll leave you with is that the the as I've said before the discussions are sober and serious uh.

Again I don't want to get head of where we are or give you I can't give you odds on on on if and when we'll be able to get there but the conversations are very sober and serious about trying to get another hostage deal in place can you character sorry just the where the the hold up is and this seems to be far more uh you know significant offer on the.

Part of the Israelis and you've seen from them m is is Hamas the real holdup here I I uh I don't know that you know it's time now to be talking about holdups I mean these are these are ongoing discussions I wouldn't even CL classify them as negotiations quite at this point but ongoing discussions with counterparts about what's in the what's.

In the realm of the possible here to get these hostages out and how long would that last the pause itself and what would that mean for humanitarian Aid there's a lot of components here and so I wouldn't describe it as us running up against some kind of obstacle here or a or a stop um or a hard spot we're uh we're just having these active.

Conversations and hopefully they'll bear fruit do you think that a pause of a really extended nature whether it's 2 months or it's weeks very different than what we saw in the earlier uh release of hostages would that not only served to to be a a pathway for hostages to come out but also to change the overall nature of the fight and transition to a.

Different uh character of or intensity of the conflict you know Kelly it it's possible but I I I really think we've got to be careful about getting ahead of where we are are in the in the process the focus would rightly be on getting the hostages out more than a 100 that we know Hamas or their Affiliates are are still holding and of.

Course increasing the humanitarian assistance could you again it would depend on how long right and so I think it's possible that it could have some larger implications for the conflict itself but it's just too soon to know right now and do you think that the substantial loss of life among the IDF the 24 is that a component.

Of changing how Israel May view where we are in the war now to have a you know catastrophic incident like that only the Israelis could answer that question it was a ter terrible day for the IDF yesterday that's an enormous amount of troops lost in one day and certainly our condolences go out to all the families and their teammates as well uh but as.

For what impact yesterday's actions might have on this I I I think that's something we would refer to them to speak to thanks um John you've said multiple times that the US doesn't support a general ceasefire right now would the White House support a 30-day a 60-day or 90day ceasefire if that's something that Israel was open to for a.

Hostage sure absolutely if that would require that would give us the opportunity to get hostages out and get more Aid in um but we would absolutely support a humanitarian pause of of a longer length than the week that we were able to accomplish absolutely we would and you think that's realistic that a 90-day pause for example might agree.

Again I don't want to get ahead of where we are in the discussions uh Jeff um uh so I I can't confirm the reports out there about what the length might be but we are in serious discussions about trying to get another pause in place and just lastly on Brett's trip can you give us a sense uh who else he plans to meet with and what his message is during this.

Visit he's working on a a range of issues so his messages are really in line with our policy which is making sure Israel knows that has the support that it that it needs making sure we're getting humanitarian assistance increased to the degree we can getting the hostages out uh and obviously working helping to work towards U an.

Arrangement where a pause can be in place to allow all those things to uh occur he'll also no question have other discussions uh about other Regional issues including um continuing to explore the idea of of uh of normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia um I I don't have a readout of all his discussions that he's had he's.

Only just gotten in the region I think yesterday um so we'll see if we can get you a little bit more granularity on on where he's going next and who he's going to be talking to thanks BR um there were Russian strikes on residential neighborhoods in keev and kke what does this say about Russia's strategy right now it's very much I think of a piece of.

What the Russians have been trying to do since the winter months have set in which is to make uh to uh to further victimize the Ukrainian population uh to try to break their will and their and their back and the the attacks on civilian infrastructure resid presidential uh homes and uh and areas is again U not something that uh Putin.

Has shied away from in the past we don't see a lot of movement on the Battlefront uh from east to South there's just neither side's really making a lot of progress and we're not seeing any major Push by the Russians to some sort of ground offensive and I'm not ruling out that they might not try to pursue that when the ground gets a little harder but.

That but what they are doing are trying to overwhelm Ukrainian air defense systems and those defense systems have been pretty effective at knocking a lot of this stuff out of the sky things get through obviously they don't get they don't every everything but that's why it's so critical that we get this supplemental funding uh because as I.

Said earlier the ukrainians are making some tough decisions on the battlefield about what they're going to shoot and what they're going to safe for another day um and and and and the Russians know that so part of this is trying to break the Brack of the Ukrainian people but also trying to to to force the ukrainians to continue to use Munitions.

In defense of themselves is the US seeing evidence that Russia is increasingly targeting Ukrainian arms production sites and if so what does that mean yeah actually I'm glad you asked that question they they have in fact uh we have seen them start uh to go after more of Ukraine's defense industrial base again all of a piece of.

Wearing down the ukrainians ability to defend themselves over time which again it just makes just underscores how important it is that we get this supplemental funding for for Ukraine uh secretary Austin I think as you know hosted yet another contact group uh today um we got 50 some odd Nations involved.

In here trying to contribute stuff to Ukraine and they're all looking to us for leadership they all want to know where we're going to be here you know a couple months thanks John um is are the US strikes on the hotties aimed simply at degrading their capabilities or also at interrupting the rate of.

Resupply um of material from Iran and and and what has the US observed about those resupply efforts are they slowing down are they speeding up two different efforts here uh we already have in place and have been doing uh interdiction to try to uh stop the flow of Munitions from Iran to U houi controlled Yemen in a matter fact that's how we lost.

Tragically lost those two Navy Seals they were involved in an interdiction mission of that sort the strikes that were taken are something separate and distinct and it really is designed about to disrupt and dis and degrade houti offensive capabilities to to make it harder for them to to continue these attacks but are you seeing any efforts.

By the Iranians to pick up the pace of supplying the hooes as they come under I would just say we're watching this very very closely uh I mean it's not Iranian support of the houthis is nothing new um they have uh they have not only supplied things to to them but to Hamas and Hezbollah and other groups in in the region um and I would just say we're.

Monitoring that flow as closely as we can I think that's as far as I'm going to be able to go today and can you give us an update on the effort to um uh prevent a war with Hezbollah and am hain's um efforts in the region we are in involved diplomatically uh not just with the the Israelis uh but with officials in Lebanon to to see what we.

Can do to keep that uh the conflict from widening and escalating there along that northern border with is Israel um we still don't believe that um it's in the interest of the Israeli people certainly not in the interest of regional security for another front to be opened up we have not seen and I think this is important I'll let Amo speak to his.

Discussions uh he has been a significant interocular in in having these discussions but we have not seen Hezbollah jump in with both feet uh and come to the aid of Hamas there have been I'm not going to obviously dismiss it there has been rocket fire exchanged on both sides uh we want to see those tensions deescalate uh but we have not.

Seen uh NIS give orders that you know they're going to go all in to help Hamas as a matter of fact I mean take a look at it and I know we're all talking about the hotties and there I get all that but but there ain't a whole lot of people that are jumping in with two feet to help Hamas in this war that they started on the 7th of.

October thanks John I one on the Middle East but first I wanted to follow ozek asked about secretary Austin he had his first public appearance today from a very secure printer closet over at the Pentagon um I'm wondering if you have a sense of when he when we might see him in person if that's been a conversation between.

The White House and the Pentagon about kind of getting him out getting him out yeah I think uh as I understand it and you should check with my uh uh defense department colleagues but I think he hosted that contact group from home um from over zoom and we he's done these virtually before uh getting 50 Nations all together in the same place sometimes.

Can be difficult so this one was another virtual one and I understand that he took it from home I I don't have any anything I certainly wouldn't be in a position to speak to his schedule and uh when you might see him uh out uh more publicly but I I I know that they're working through at the defense department working through what his.

Schedule will look like once he's able to get back to work in the Pentagon and then you know how they build out his calendar but that's really for them to speak to and then on the Middle East you mentioned yesterday that um we were engaging uh the Saudis and Regional Partners still on that normalization effort but I wanted to ask about.

At the G20 um there was the announcement about the India to Europe sort of rail and um Waterway trade pip economic Corridor yeah um has has the conflict in Israel sort of put that either on the back burner effectively killed that effort or is that something that's still an active part of talk the short answer is no but look this that that is a major.

Rail Corridor that actually we're calling an economic Corridor because while it's principally around a rail system there would be all kinds of logistics and sustainment hubs along the way and offer all kinds of opportunities for infrastructure Improvement and employment opportunities and it's that's you know that's a a yearl long process.

It's going to take a long time to get there the president knows that um and so our our our work and our efforts to start laying the groundwork literally if you'll excuse the pun but laying the tracks for that are are ongoing John I just want to go back on the strikes on the on the hooes uh you listed a u um number of countries allies.

Involved in this UK Canada um how is this coordinated and by the way has the mission does the mission have a name is it is it just like we're striking the htis uh operation and and how does the uh coordination happen is the president involved as he talked to prime minister Trudeau for instance so couple of there's a lot off there uh not every.

Nation is involved in the actual dropping of Munitions in this case it was the United States the United Kingdom other nations as I indicated in my opening statement uh they contribute other capabilities I'll let them speak to what what they're doing uh to support these strikes on uh on hotti capabilities assure there is an awful.

Lot of coordination done at various levels I mean the president spoke yesterday with prime minister sunk and obviously this was on the on the plate to talk about it uh given that that conversation took place in advance a few hours in advance of the strikes that we actually took um and we always read out his calls with foreign counterparts so I.

Uh you know it's not like he would have a conversation with another prime minister and you wouldn't know about it but he is involved at his level of course but so is the Secretary of Defense so is secretary of state so is Jake Sullivan our national security adviser and then staff levels at the NC uh up and down the chain of command are.

Involved clearly with our our counterparts so this mission is just worst tracking the hoties you're asking for the name well is it an operation organized and well I'd refer you to the Pentagon if they've if they've given it an operational name or not that's really for them to to speak to we're not so much worried about what bumper sticker.

You slap on it uh we're interested in making sure we're going after houie capabilities and trying to degrade their ability to continue to conduct these attacks thank you so much John I'm right here oh sorry uh just a quick question about um whether the administration includes environmental impact assessments in.

Calculating how to support allies like Israel and Ukraine just for reference we interviewed some environmental experts who estimated that in the last 60 days us Supply flights to Israel contributed to 133,000 metric tons of CO2 emissions that's a lot right so is that part of the calculation that you make and how do.

You balance your desire to protect the environment with your desire to protect your allies I know of no and I'm happy to take this question uh I know of no mathematical analysis that we're conducting at an agency level to to judge the impact of using jet fuel for instance to to fly support to Ukraine or.

Uh uh or get it into the region for Israel again I'll take that question but we're focused rightly so on making sure that our two partners have what they need to defend themselves and that's really where the president said is thank you one of my colleagues has reported that Israel has promos proposed that a Hamas your lead leadership could.

Leave Gaza as part of a broader ceasefire agreement is this something that the US believes is a viable proposal we don't want to see Hamas in charge of Gaza anymore they chose to violate the ceasefire that was in place uh and we certainly agree with our Israeli counterparts that whatever the future of.

Postconflict Gaza looks like it can't include Hamas leaders now how that's actualized uh I think I'd refer to the Israeli Defense Forces to to speak to and I'm not I understand where the question's going I'm just not going to get ahead of discussions that we're having in the region about postconflict Gaza and what that what.

What that can look like and what a hostage deal what the parameters of that would look like the last thing I'll say on this is we have been very consistent that whatever governance looks like in Gaza after this is over it's got to be representative of the aspirations of the Palestinian people who are not.

Represented by Hamas and who do not the majority don't support uh what Hamas has put them through in in visiting this kind of violence in inside the strip so whatever whatever it looks like it's got to be representative of their aspirations and we believe that a a good place to start to get to that outcome is a revitalized Palestinian Authority and.

Senate uh Republican web John dude told reporters today that he thinks that the Ukraine Aid uh that the president proposed may need to be scaled back a bit specifically when it comes to not lethal assistance is this something that the White House would be open to scal back portions of it I won't negotiate in in public here the president's.

Supplemental request that we put forward way back in October uh was thoughtful it was carefully done and crafted it was done in consultation with our Ukrainian Partners about what they believe they were going to need in the early months of this year um and it came up I think more than 60 million or something like.

That um so uh I'm sorry uh 60 billion um and we believe that that was an adequate request and that's the request that we want considered thank you John uh why are you guys making it easier for people to enter the country illegally I don't believe we are why do you think we are well you guys sued to.

Cut razor wire that was put in place by Texas officials so that the border patrol could actually do their jobs but keep going well you won in court so now what the border of Patrol Union president is saying the Supreme Court's decision is going to undoubtedly encourage more illegal immigration do you guys know better than the border.

Patrol Union the border patrol needed access and that's why we sued to get rid of that uh razor wire so that they could do their jobs and you know what would also help them do their jobs Peter more border patrol agents there's an idea and if you go back to the supplemental request that we put in there's money in there for some 1,300 additional border.

Patrol agents we want to help them do their jobs we want to give them more resources and the answer we kept keep keep getting back from House Republicans is no no no does razor wire work does razor wire work for what does it work for the board border patrol to allow them to have the access they need to be able to uh to better process.

People that are trying to get across the border I don't think so and that's why we asked for it to be removed but what is the president's plan this is happening just weeks after 300,000 people came into this country over the southern border illegally the razor wire officials down there think was keeping some of them out and you.

Guys just sued and won to remove it on on behalf of the board Patrol who needed who needed to have better access to it look let me go back to your other question and I I know I'm running short on time so I won't I won't filibuster here but what's the plan please look at the stuff we've put forward the immigration reform uh.

Legislation that the president put forward on day one the work we're doing in the region just last week we had Mexican officials here to talk about how together we have and will continue to try to stem the flow of migrants you mentioned the the numbers no question there's a lot of people trying to make that Journey but it's not just to the.

United States it's to other countries in the world in the in the region we're seeing historic movement not not since World War II have we seen this many people on the Move in this Hemisphere and the Mexicans are really stepping up and trying to do the more more on their southern border to keep that flow going north lower and we have seen in recent.

Weeks some success at that the the the idea that we don't have a plan or strategy or we're not taking this seriously is just not borne out by the facts and you know again if the if the folks in the on the house Republican side are are serious about border security and they claim they are then they should act on the supplemental.

Request and you know let's negotiate this in good faith the president has said he's willing to make uh compromises he's willing to negotiate in good faith so so let's let's have that discussion thank you Israel has said that it is going to build a buffer zone and appears to already be demolishing structures inside Gaza along its borders despite.

The US position that gaza's territory should not be reduced does the administration object to this plan and if the Israelis are moving forward anyway then what is the administration doing about it I'll let the Israelis speak to this idea nothing's changed about our view uh Sabrina we do not want to see the territory of Gaza reduced in.

Any way we won't support that and you the Administration has communicated that directly to the Israelis that they shouldn't create these buffer zones I I won't talk about our diplomatic conversations we have been very clear and consistent both in private and publicly that we do not want want to see the territory of Gaza reduced in any way.

Thank you John could you please confirm um could you could you please confirm if Russia has used more North Korean missiles in ukine after your two two weeks ago announc and what's your response to um President Putin's visit in the new near future to North Korea well uh what we're what what's concerning to.

Us is this increasing relationship this deepening relationship between North Korea and Russia because obviously Mr Putin stands to benefit from it as he not only gets ballistic missiles and using them uh for use in in in Ukraine but also artillery shells um and he's using them to a fair of the as well so we're watching this.

Very very closely um uh as we are North Korea's own pursuit of advanced military capabilities and what concerns us is not just Mr PU ability to benefit from this relationship but Kim jong-un's ability to to benefit from this relationship and what that means for peace and Security in the region thanks um staying on North Korea.

And there's been a number of reports recently about um that uh there have been signs that Kim Jong-un is preparing for some kind of attack or he preparing for for war have you seen any indication of a change in posture from career uh is there any concerns that you have about uh about that I I want to be careful here I don't get into in elligence.

Assessments but uh we're watching this very very closely and I would just tell you that we remain confident that the the defensive posture that we're maintaining on the peninsula is appropriate to the risk yeah on the houthis back to the houth so treasury issued a general license allowing the houthis to profit.

From oil sales um why designate or redesignate them a special terrorist group uh if you're going to allow them to make profits off of oil sales within the country it doesn't you're talking about General license number 25 which is designed to allow for the import of some petroleum products such as cooking oil so that the yeni people aren't suffering.

And they can and they can eat um it does not allow and I'm happy to get you the exact language uh Ed but it does not allow for the transfer or the the uh the export for profit of yeni petroleum products they are not going to be allowed to profit off of this there are five licenses in general or in total one of them also uh allows them to get.

Payments uh for goods going through the ports uh as well as fees from people leaving airports question allowing Revenue to do their operations I'm happy to refer you to treasury for more detail my understanding of that license as well is it will not allow them to profit the senior Administration.

Official told Politico that one aspect of your plan to stop the houthis is to have China pressure them to to stop does the administration have any indication that China has Sway With The houth and any interest in applying such pressure China has influence over tyan they have influence in Iran and they have the ability to have.

Uh conversations with Iranian leaders that that that we can't uh and so what we've said repeatedly is we would welcome a constructive role by China using the influence and the access that we know they have to try to help stem the flow of of weapons uh ammunitions to to to the houth thank you you mentioned earlier.

The meeting with Mexican officials that was last week to talk about migration can you talk through what some of the next steps are after that meeting and whether us officials are going to meet with them again in the coming weeks I don't have another meeting on the schedule right now to speak to or to announce I have every expectation that.

There will be additional conversations at various levels of of the staff uh uh we're focused on uh root causes of this migration and helping try to with our Mexican counterparts alleviate some of those uh root causes there's lots of reasons why people are on the Move um depending on where they're coming from uh we're also working closely as I.

Mentioned to Peter with the Mexican officials about um what they might need uh to to help as they deal with pressure at their southern border and they have taken some action put they've put more soldiers down there they are doing uh more work at rail heads uh and you know uh and bus routes uh to try to stem the flow and so we're going to keep having.

Those kinds of conversations with them when you say what they might need are you talking about support from the US to stem the flow at their southern border support from from the US support from in the region I mean again we're trying to take a true Regional approach on this thank you goad sir thank you so uh as Turkish Parliament is um appearing to.

Move on on uh Sweden's NATO accession the hungary's prime minister um is suggesting that it's still up for negotiation he invited the his Swedish Swedish counterpart for negotiation on um NATO's accession do you see this as you know still up for negotiation and U relatedly polish prime minister um suggested that Hungary is quietly wait.

Uh working with Russia and betraying Europe um is that your system as well uh first of all uh we understand that the Turkish Parliament may be taking up this decision today obviously we'll watch this very closely as the president has said Sweden is more than ready to become a NATO Ally and we certainly look forward to their assession into the.

Alliance but I'm not going to get ahead of the Turkish Parliament obviously these are the discussions and a vote that they have to hold um I I can't speak for what the Hungarian government is is doing or about to do they have indicated in the past that they certainly won't be the holdup here that they won't be uh the last to uh aede.

They're also I'm sure watching what's going on uh in Turkey very closely as well but look it's it's time for Sweden to become a NATO Ally they have a modern advanced military one that we're very comfortable with u and they'll add real significant military capabilities to the alliance Andrew last question thank you John two questions on two uh unrelated.

Uh subjects uh the first uh federal court in California this week is scheduled to hear arguments in a lawsuit from uh civil and human rights Advocates that is Seeking a court order to prevent the US from providing any more uh Aid to Israel uh aside from what the justice department has argued in court papers does the White House have any reaction.

To the lawsuit we won't speak to an individual lawsuit that wouldn't be prudent I will just tell you that nothing's changed about the president's strong view that we've got to continue to make sure Israel has what it needs to defend itself and then uh second question if the state government of Texas uh.

Specifically the governor is using uh National Guard Personnel to impede the law enforcement efforts of federal authorities why is the president hesitant to Simply federalize the Texas guard and order them to cease and desist rather than uh going to the courts and having to wait for the court process to.

Place I I don't have any pending decision by the by the president as commander-in-chief to federalize the Texas National Guard I mean um obviously as commander-in-chief he has that option but I'm not going to get ahead of any decision space that the the president might be in believe that it's a proper function of the guard under under State.

Authority to be used to frustrate they have a chain of command under the governor and we respect that chain of command we can disagree on the use of the National Guard and other even State assets for the way the uh Governor abin is treating that border we certainly disagree from a policy perspective but legally he is by you know by Authority.

The the state commander-in-chief of the National Guard it doesn't mean we have to agree with every which way they're used and I won't get ahead of the president's decision space again one way or the other thanks thank you so much thank you thanks Admiral all right Zeke reset us yes thanks k um has the president been briefed on that uh.

Shooting it's Jo Illinois and this sub man hunt there yeah um so thank you for that question and uh so we are tracking certainly the connect the connected fatal shootings uh that took place in Juliet Illinois just outside of Chicago our thoughts are with the families of the victims of the senseless act of violence Federal officials are.

Supporting the local law enforcement investigation and we will know more as they complete their work as law enforcement has stated the shooter appears to have died of self-inflicted gunshot wound Mo uh this recently this recent um tragedy underscores the needs for congress uh to act and to take action to end this epidemic of gun.

Violence that we're seeing across the country our Administration is taking aggressive steps to keep guns off our streets and out of the out of those who mean to do harm uh by cracking down on gun trafficking stolen firearms and enhancing background checks to stop sales to those in crisis and all thanks to key provisions of the president's.

Bipartisan safer communities act that we were able to do do about almost 2 years ago now but we need Congress to do more Universal background checks red flag laws to provide further protections and tools uh to prevent such tragedies the the longer they wait the more communities like uh Juliet will continue to be torn apart by gun violence so we.

Are certainly tracking this uh and so we're going to see what uh what the law en local law enforcements say about uh the more specifics of this hor horrific horrific gun violence thanks on a different topic it's uh election day uh primary election in New Hampshire the president's name is not on the ballot but there uh many of his supporters are.

Trying to write his name in onto that ballot there without speaking to 2024 at all how does the president plan to spend the this evening does he plan to watch those uh those results how does he plan to monitor uh the outcom of the so I appreciate the question so look as you know the president uh is going to be heading out in a couple of hours uh to.

Head to Virginia he's going to be doing a a dual uh obviously a dual event with the vice president can't go too much further into that but obviously you all know he's they're going to be speaking about reproductive Health Care the importance of that yesterday would have been the 51st anniversary of Ro v Wade before The Supreme Court overturn row.

And and we have seen the devastating effects that uh that overturning of row have had across the country with women uh obviously not being able to many of them not being able to U make decisions on their own Healthcare so you'll hear from the vice president obviously you'll hear from the president uh so that's what he's going to be doing uh later on.

Today I have not spoken to him on how he's going to be uh uh taking in the results uh tonight uh so don't have anything specifics uh to share on on how that's going to um uh how the president's going to be spending his evening uh but certainly he is uh always uh certainly uh always focused on the American people and that that much I can.

Uh promise and see have any concerns that that he might lose that writing C I think the president's concern right now is making sure that we continue to deliver for the American people that's his Focus God care I'm going to try a couple on the border of negotiations oh sure um now that it seems there's a semblance of optimism on the hill this.

Is inching been optimistic on the hill on the hill okay semblance that it's inching closer to the Finish Line um has the president spoken to negotiators this week will he meet with any of the Senate leaders on this to get it across the so um don't any don't have any we don't have anything to preview on any conversations.

That the president has had specifically with the negotiations I'm assuming you're speaking you're speaking about the Senators both Republicans and Democrats obviously he gets regularly updated from his team uh who have been in close uh part of these negotiation in close obviously in close contacts with members uh in the Senate and they've.

Been doing this for months now for months uh so he's getting regular updates every day uh daily updates and the president said last week I think you someone asked him if how he felt about it and he thought it was uh basically um um a deal was was uh coming was soon to come so look we we continue to be optimistic this is an important.

Important negotiation to try to figure out how do we address a broken system the immigration system how do we deal with border security it is a bipartisan uh negotiation which we really truly appreciate to get to that agreement and we are going to continue to be optimistic if there are any conversations that the president uh is.

Going to have that we feel you know that we will um we will um that is necessary to share we certainly will do that but as you know the president president you know because he has relationships with many of those uh senate members tends to have regular uh Comm Communications with some of those Senators the hill Arlette had asked Kirby so we touched on this.

Somewhat but I think more specifically for you because of politics of this um if the Border policy changes come in at a higher number the total cost of that compared to what the administration had asked for in the supplemental for border security is there wiggle in the Appropriations yeah um is there wiggle room from the administration on the.

Number that is put for the Ukraine funding if would that come down from the administration side to keep this still in that ballpark range of 106 billion so I I want to be really Mindful and really careful here I'm not going to say what we would accept or not except what I will say is that National Security Supplemental that the president put.

Forth U Back In in the fall is incredibly important uh we want Congress to move forward with it we want Congress to act on the supplemental it is an mergency request that's why presidents usually put forward supplementals uh and it's about our national security not just abroad but obviously here and the us and it includes Ukraine Israel Taiwan.

It also includes obviously the border security so there are different parts and pieces to this that are very important uh and uh and it was a thoughtful process I'm not going to get into the Appropriations part of it I'm not going to get into anything else uh Beyond um you know beyond letting the negotiators as it as it um as it uh is.

Focus as they are focused on border security to allow them to do their negotiations again these the negotiations that they're talking about is Al obviously policy and and funding as well what are we going to do to give the resources that are needed to deal with what's going on at the border I'm just going to stick it to there keep it.

To there again Nancy thanks Karine on the razor wire case now that the Supreme Court has decided in favor of the administration what is the plan how quickly uh does the administration intend to remove all the razor wire that has been set up so I don't have the the specifics on the what the border security is going to do and how they're.

Going to do it look we are uh certainly glad that the Supreme Court uh made the decision to to uh uh vacate the injunction that prevented border security to actually do their job to do humanitarian work to actually uh to actually uh enforce laws uh and it got in the way it and what uh and what was put forward that what what uh What uh.

Texas was doing the governor was doing was actually ineffective and that's something that we have to remember it was ineffective and so now uh it's going to uh it's going to allow border security to do their jobs it's going to allow border security to actually act if there is an issue or some a dangerous situation happening and they need to act.

And save lives it's going to allow them to do that and actually do their jobs in act law look at the at the you know the bottom line here is that we need changes in policy we need funding and that's what the conversations are happening in in the Senate and so that's incredibly important we do not need political stunts we do not need political stunts.

That we're seeing uh that was that we're seeing from the Texas governor but look this is this is we're glad that it happened and now uh border border patrol will be able to do their jobs my my colleague who is down at the border has new video of the Texas National Guard setting up razor wire right now today even in the wake of this decision how.

Does the administration plan to deal with that without getting into some kind of direct conflict with the Texas National Guard so so so what was um what was um decided on was the ability for the border patrol agents to cut through the wire right the the kind of the initial reason as the wire is being put put putting laid being laid out there uh.

That still has to go to the F the the uh the Cort uh the fit uh the fit circuit right they still have to go through that process maybe it goes to the Supreme Court I'm going to be careful and not talk about that legal process but what we know that we are able to do that the border patrol is able to do is cut through the Border R so they can.

Actually do their jobs there's a whole another process that has to go through the the legal system so we're going to let uh doj and others continue that process but now border patrol has a has the ability ability to do their jobs because now they can cut through the wire get can you started the briefing talking about some of these positive.

Economic indicators and how the mood of consumers is changing as you're seeing some of these positive signs in the economy but so far it really hasn't changed in their perception of how President Biden has contributed to this and and helped them are there discussions about different ways that you can try to communicate this message.

Given the fact that so far it just hasn't sunk in with the American psyche that Biden should be getting Credit in your belief I mean look we're going to just continue to have the conversation we're going to continue to have the president talk speak directly to the American people you saw him do that in many different ways in the past two.

Weeks where he's been able to address uh Americans at their home right where he's been able to go to a business and talk to uh uh Folks at at a at a um at a business and so look we're going to try obviously we're always trying to find ways uh to uh communicate with folks on the ground and we understand look polls.

Don't vote people vote that's really important to remember as well and but I think the data still matters the fact that consumer sentiment is high in a way that uh we hadn't seen it in some time right the numbers show that uh and uh the fact that the economy is indeed stronger than it was since the president walked in to this Administration he's.

Been able to create more than 14 million jobs all of that matters we're going to do our job uh we're going to uh continue to have those conversations with the American people and you'll see that and you'll see Contin the president's been doing that for the last three years and he's not going to stop and we're going to make sure that uh the American people.

Hear directly from him uh as uh you know as often as we can and is the president frustrated that Americans are feeling better about the economy but they not feeling better about his role I think what the president is is proud to see is that the data is showing that consumer confidence is up is that we're able to see gas prices under three bucks in more.

Than in 27 States that's important that's what the the president is happy to see the president is is is happy to see that we've created more than 14 million jobs that's what we're going to continue uh to work on an economy that is that that uh that make sure that we build it from the bottom up middle out and let's not forget we're going to.

Continue to lower cost C for the American people and so as long as we do that as long as we do our job the president does his job then that's what matters okay uh thank you so much um so you said at the beginning of the briefing that 19 States uh have experienced uh the lowest unemployment rate uh on record uh what do they have.

In common are they geographically clustered in one area and to what do you attribute to this oh that's a good question I don't I don't have specific which 19 States uh certainly we can get that number it's in the obviously it's in the data so it's in the St State unemployment data so you can actually pull it from directly from there I think.

We attribute that to the president's uh plans and policies and what he's been able to do for the past three years right whether it's legislation historic piece of legislation whether it's the uh bipar INF infrastructure uh uh infrastructure act or whether it is uh the chips and science act I mean there are multiple uh we believe multiple.

Reasons multiple uh policy changes that the president has been able to do to get the economy going and we see that in the data and so we uh we believe that what the president has done uh is working now we have more work to do in lowering costs and we'll continue to do that uh but certainly uh this is the president and this administration's work uh at.

Hand along with uh some of the work that we've been able to do with Congress uh thanks the president you alluded to is speaking about abortion at the event tonight in Virginia um he has often said he would like Congress to codify row are there talks between the White House and legislators in Congress about doing that I know they don't have.

A votes for it but is there a effort right now to prepare for that underway so I can't speak of an an of a a conversation specifically on uh that we've had with legislators we talked to legislators on on array of issues and certainly different agendas I know that legislators uh in Congress have tried uh to introduce uh pieces of legislation to.

Codify to do just that to codify row uh and so look here here's where we are um majority of Americans want to make sure that their rights are protected that their freedoms are protected that's where majority Americans are they want to make sure that women have the right the ability to make decisions on their reproductive Healthcare that is.

Something that we know and Republicans do not stand with majority of Americans you have about I believe three uh National bands that were that were introduced by Congressional Republicans and so that is a problem uh and so we have to be very clear this is why the president the vice president his entire Administration is going to continue to.

Speak loud and clear and stand on the side of majority of Americans uh and so until we have Republicans that are willing uh to to uh to stand with majority of Americans on this and do something and make sure that our freedoms and rights women's freedoms and rights are protected then we're not going to be able to make this happen but.

Doesn't mean that the president's not going to continue to call call on that uh and so that's what we want to see in order to truly deal with this issue we have to see legislation in Congress and that is just the facts and is that the message that he wants to get across tonight and I'll propose tonight is there a reason that this Rally or this.

Event was scheduled on the same day as the New Hampshire primary where ref to the uh the scheduling of this uh political rally to the campaign so I'm not going to speak to that and I'm not going to get ahead of what the president's going to say you'll hear from him directly tonight but look you heard from the President yesterday.

During his task force his four task force on this particular issue reproductive Healthcare yesterday he spoke to the importance of of making sure that we stand with majority of Americans you saw the Vice President in Wisconsin speaking to the issue we were we were very clear where this Administration stand we stand with.

Majority of Americans on this uh maybe the sixth row you hav the fifth row yet I'm just saying go ahead thank you for keeping track but I believe the gentleman is there's a gentleman that I called on that's sitting in your row thank you oh thanks thanks James I appreciate that thanks k um does the White House support the.

Possibility of limiting immigration parole that seems to be now at the center of Senate negotiations I'm not going to speak to the specifics of the negotiation process what's being discussed the policy discussions or even the funding component of the discussions just not going to do that from here can't negotiate from the podium because.

We want to make sure that they have negotiators have the freedom uh to uh have a a good faith conversation I'm just not going to inject myself from here another topic Venezuelan president maduru is accusing the US of plotting to kill him specifically the CIA and the DEA has the White House seen these accusations and how do you respond to.

That I mean I've have not seen those accusations obviously that is sounds a bit not a bit uh uh well not even a bit it's it's just not factual I'm just going to leave that there all right I'm trying to call some people I haven't called on go ahead in the back go ahead I know no this young this young lady you do that I know.

Thanks for the help but I got it go ahead thank you so um sorry me thank you Karine um we're sort of seeing a lot of House Republicans push back um on the Supreme Court ruling sort of encouraging the Texas governor to it people like can you start from the beginning I missed the beginning of your question that's okay so we're seeing some of past.

Republicans encourage Texas to ignore the Supreme Court ruling um representative clay higgings also sort of said it's a civil war is that rhetoric helpful um to solve the situation at the border none of it is helpful that that rhetoric is not helpful the the political stunts are not helpful they're just not they're not.

Dealing with the issue that we're seeing at the border what we have asked and what we have said let's let work in a bipartisan way that's why we are very grateful to what the Senators uh are doing right now and negotiating in a bipartisan way in good faith to come up with a solution on a system that has been broken for decades an immigration.

System that has been broken for decades and so you have Republicans coming together Democrats coming together in the Senate to actually figure out how what are the policy changes that we can meaningful policy changes that could be put forth what's the funding uh funding stream that is needed to deal with the B border and that's what we want to see.

And that's what we appreciate all of the political stunts that some of them put you know put the border patrol agents uh lives in danger it puts migrants lives in danger that's not helpful that is not helpful at all okay Courtney thank you will President Biden renominate Todd Edelman for a seat on the US District Court for the District of Colombia there.

Was reporting that that's not going to happen so I'm not going to get ahead of the president's nomination process uh so just don't have anything to preview I I'm just not going to get ahead of the process at this time good sir so knowing that there's bipartisan negotiations happening in the Senate right now when it comes to the supplemental uh.

Obviously House Republicans are not involved we do know speaker Johnson was obviously here at the White House meeting with President Biden are is the White House or President Biden any Administration officials speaking directly with House Republicans about this knowing that they're basically saying that it's Deb on arrival whatever.

Comes out of the Senate well look the president spoke to this last week uh a little bit too he said you know he he called out he said to House of Republicans do you really want to actually fix this problem do you really actually want to uh do the work that's needed to deal with the issue that we're seeing at the border do you really want.

To fix this immigration system I'm adding on to what the president said but that's a question for House Republicans I think we have proven Republicans in the Senate and Democrats in the Senate have proven that we actually want to work on this issue issue on this broken system and so look if they are real about this if they want to fix this.

Problem then they would get involved they would get involved but they haven't right you heard me say back at the end of uh last year they left in the middle of December while negotiations were happening with Republicans in the Senate and the Democrats in the Senate so you know this is a real problem this is an issue that uh Americans care about and.

They want to see it done in a bipartisan way that's what we're trying to do that's what we're trying I don't know why House Republicans continue to get in the way but outside of the meeting last week have they been in constant contact at all with House Republicans look don't have any specific communication or conversations to read out obviously it.

Came out it came up in the uh in the meeting that the president had last week uh with leadership and uh that uh it was obviously about Ukraine and the importance of of uh America supporting Ukraine and their Fight For Freedom uh but obviously as well border security came up and there was an agreement there was an agreement with folks in the room.

That we needed to deal with both issues both issues were really important and so that's what I will leave you with but House Republicans could speak for themselves and we are saying to them why are they getting the way why don't they come to the table and actually have this negotiations with us as well way in the back go ahead thank you immigration is.

Now the top issue for Americans over the economy over inflation that's according to a new Harvard poll so is immigration the president's top priority there are many issues that are top priorities for this President right this is a president that has to deal with multiple issues all at once obviously immigration is clearly.

Important I just went into uh into uh back and forth with your colleague here about what's been going on right what he's been doing what Republicans and Democrats in the Senate have been doing how these negotiations are so important to get to a bipartisan agreement to deal with immigration this broken system and the border security so obviously it's a.

Priority for this President and he is managing multiple things that are important that are important and key to the American public I just want to follow up on that also on the border speaker Johnson he put out a statement uh talking about this issue he's saying that the VP wants Congress to quote Grant Mass amnesty and spend taxpayer.

Dollars to process not stop more legals and her solution is to incentivize the lawlessness and the chaos can the White House respond to that I will say to the house speaker if you truly care about the border and dealing with the Border in a way uh that uh that actually helps the American people and if he really cares about a broken immigration system.

That's been broken for decades then come have a conversation a true good faith conversation be part of the solution be part of the negotiations actually do something that's going to make a change for the better and right now that's not what we're seeing he's getting in the way and and you know that's not what this President is about he wants to see.

This done in a bipartisan way bipartisan agreement that is effective and that actually has meaningful policy changes and also funding streams that makes sense that makes sense all right all right thanks everybody we'll see you tomorrow than you.

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