Short today good afternoon everybody good afternoon oh okay well thank you so I want to start by addressing some devastating and alarming news from the Arizona Supreme Court with today's decision millions of arizonians will soon face an even more extreme and.
Dangerous abortion ban than they did before this Arizona law which was initially enacted in 18 64 more than 150 years ago fails to protect women even when their health is at risk or in horrific cases of rape or incest there are now 21 extreme State abortion bans in effect across the country one-third of all women of reproductive age now.
Live in a state with an abortion ban and all of these banss including the one upheld today that was upheld by the Arizona Supreme Court are a direct direct result of the Supreme Court overturning roow V way when the president's predecessor handicapped three Supreme Court Justices to overturn roie Wade it paved the way for the chaos.
And confusion we're seeing play out across the country today President Biden and vice president Harris will continue to stand with the vast majority of Americans who support a woman's rights to choose and they will continue to fight to protect Reproductive Rights and call on Congress to pass a law restoring the protections of roie Wade for women.
In every state on the topic of healthc care you just heard from the president earlier today he marked care workers recognition month by joining care workers union members and Advocates to highlight his administration's work to make care more affordable for American families support family caregivers boost compensation and job quality for care.
Workers and expand care options through the first ever care EO signed by President Biden just last year as well as through the American Rescue plan and the chips and science act the bipartisan har the B pardon me the Biden Harris Administration is marking transformational investment in Child Care Home Care Paid Family and Medical.
Leave and tax cuts for workers and families and the president's plan would pay for these investments in Working Families by making billionaires and the biggest corporations pay their fair share that is in sharp contrast with Congressional Republicans who released a budget that would make devastating Cuts in funding for child care Head Start.
Social Security Medicaid Medicare all to pay for massive tax cuts for billionaires and big corporations care workers play an essential role in our economy and President Biden will never stop fighting for them finally today the president spoke with Yukon coach Dan Hurley and congratulated him on last night's Championship the Yukon Huskies.
Had an incredible year which culminated in a series of dominant performances in the NCAA tournament Yukon is the first team to win back-to-back championships in the men's bracket since the University of Florida accomplished this feat in 2006 and 2007 we also congratulated coach Don Staley and the University of South Carolina on their.
Undefeated season and national championship ship the women's tournament featured fantastic games and generated record ratings it was really a March Madness to remember we congratulate the University of South Carolina Yukon and the athet athletes on their victories with that as you can see we have the National Security adviser Jake Sullivan.
Who's here to uh speak about the J Japanese um the Japan State visit that's happening starting today and uh also talk about the developments around the world Jake thank you I know you're like much to thanks thank you Karine and thanks everybody I've got some opening comments.
On uh the Japan State visit and and a couple of other topics and then I'd be happy to take your questions starting this evening the president and first lady will welcome prime minister kashida and Mrs kashida to the White House for an official visit and state dinner from the very outset of the Biden administrations we focused on.
Reinvesting in and reinvigorating our alliances and nowhere Has the strength and vibrancy of that strategy been on display more than in the indopacific and especially with Japan the two leaders President Biden and prime minister kashida have met nearly a dozen times over the past three years in Tokyo and Washington and in cities around the.
World and this official state visit will build on the immense progress between our two Nations that we've made towards creating a safer and more secure indopacific as well as Mutual prosperity for our peoples over the course of the visit the president and the Prime Minister will highlight the high ambition of our alliance yes in the.
Defense and Technology space but also across the board deepening our Partnerships on Space technology economic investment fighting climate change coordinating Global diplomacy and strengthening our peopl to people ties I'll briefly touch on some of what you can expect the two leaders to announce They will announce measures to enhance.
Our defense and security cooperation to enable greater coordin a and integration of our forces and ensure that they're optimally postured and linked to other like-minded partners there will be major deliverables on space as we lead the way on space exploration and returning to the Moon there will be announcements of significant research Partnerships.
Between our leading institutions on critical and emerging Technologies such as AI Quantum semiconductors and clean energy all of this will strengthen our economic ties and economic security as we announce significant commercial deals deals as part of the state visit Japan is one of the largest providers of economic assistance and budget support.
To Ukraine one of the largest investors in development and infrastructure in Southeast Asia and the Pacific Islands and this visit will highlight Japan's continued role in global diplomacy and development and the coordination that the US and Japan have together with significant deliverables on global assistance and investment both inside.
And outside the Indo Pacific and we'll also announce new initiatives to further Foster Foster our cultural connections and promote ties between current change makers and future generations of leaders following the important visit that prime minister kashida is initiating this evening and that will carry through tomorrow uh President.
Biden will welcome president Marcos of the Philippines to the White House on Thursday for his second bilateral meeting at the White House in as many years President Biden will also host the first ever trilateral leader Summit between the United States Japan and the Philippines the US Japan and the Philippines are three closely aligned.
Maritime democracies with increasingly convergent strategic objectives and interests just this past week our three countries and Australia held joint Naval drills in the South China SE when I met with my Japanese and Filipino counterparts in Tokyo last June we agreed to enhance our nation's trilateral partnership and this week is.
A culmination of months of effort since that meeting meeting in Tokyo last June the three leaders will announce new initiatives to enhance energy security economic and Maritime cooperation Partnerships on technology and cyber security and Joint investments in critical infrastructure and with this first ever leaders trilateral we're.
Continuing to deepen our cooperation with our closest Partners to ensure what we've talked about many times from this Podium and elsewhere a free open and prosperous Indo Pacific over the past 3 years the president has achieved historic breakthroughs across the region across the Indo Pacific he's launched OAS.
Elevated the quad brought the US Japan R trilateral to new heights upgraded relations with aan Vietnam and Indonesia and hosted two Pacific island Summits and one Aion Summit here at the White House and we look forward to adding another momentous chapter to this story with both the state visit that prime minister kashida has embarked upon and.
This historic trilateral meeting among the US Japan and the Philippines I also want to take a moment before going to your questions to address the events of April 5th in keto Ecuador we condemn this violation of the Vienna convention on diplomatic relations including the use of force against Embassy officials we've reviewed.
The security camera footage from the Mexican embassy and believe these actions were wrong the equadorian government disregarded its obligations under international law as a host state to respect the invi ability of diplomatic missions and jeopardize the foundation of basic diplomatic norms and relationships we've asked Ecuador to.
Work with Mexico to find a resolution to this diplomatic dispute and to that end we welcome the organization of American states permanent council meeting this week to help reach a peaceful diplomatic solution finally let me say something on an important issue that's moving through the house this week reauthorization of 702 of fisa the administration strongly.
Supports the bipartisan Bill whose text is now with the rules committee to reauthorize this essential intelligence Authority and other fisa Provisions before they would expire on April 19th if we lost 702 we would lose vital insight into precisely the threats Americans expect us in government to identify encounter terrorist threats to.
The Homeland fenal Supply chains bringing deadly drugs into American communities hostile governments recruitment of spies in our midst transnational repression by authoritarian regimes penetrations of our critical infrastructure adversaries attempts to illicitly acquire sensitive dual use and Military Commodities and.
Technology ransomware attacks against major American companies and nonprofits Russian war crimes and more so to protect the American people we need to maintain this vital collection Authority while strengthening its protective guard rails with the most robust set of reforms ever included in leg legislation to reauthorize section 702 and this bill.
Does that for these same reasons the administration strongly opposes the amendment we anticipate being offered that would rebuild a wall around and thus block access to already lawfully collected information in the possession of the US government the amendment if it looks like what we've seen before would prohibit us officials from reviewing.
Critical information that the intelligence Community has already lawfully collected with only exceptions that are exceedingly narrow and unworkable in practice our intelligence defense and Public Safety communities are united the extensive harms of this proposal simply cannot be mitigated and so the administration strongly opposes.
The amendment but we strongly support the underlying bipartisan Bill whose text is now with the rules committee with that I would be happy to take your questions yeah um the White House is still reserving judgement on the idef report on the killing of of the world Central Kitchen Aid workers why why is this review taking so long well first.
That report just came out last week and what I have done is asked an inter agency team of experts who actually have knowledge of the humanitarian operational other other elements of this to look at the circumstances to look at the findings of the report and then to come up with some judgments as a result to that this isn't a formal process it's.
An informal review and as we gain some judgments from that will be prepared to share them with you but that process is underway now how long is it going to take I can't tell you exactly how long it's going to take yeah Jay could you update us where where things stand on the latest hostage negotiations is any real progress being made I think Hamas.
Rejected the latest proposal are both sides making the kind of concessions that are going to be necessary as you know Bill Burns was in Cairo on Sunday there was a marathon session that went late into the night among the United States Israel cutter and Egypt cutter and Egypt of course were communicating with Hamas through.
This process and we have seen uh Israel take some steps forward in terms of what they're putting on the table and of course we've seen the public statements from Hamas that have been shall we say less than encouraging but I spoke with the prime minister of cter shik Muhammad this morning he does not yet have an answer from Hamas I pressed him to try.
To secure an answer from them as soon as possible and when we have more to report on that front we will report it to you yeah um two things uh prime minister Netanyahu says he has a date for the Rafa operation uh will the administration take any action or restrict military support for Israel if then Yahoo moves forward on Rafa if he.
Has a date he hasn't shared it with us so I've seen his public comments but I have nothing more on that front I'm not going to comment on hypotheticals but I will state here what I stated the last time I stood at this Podium which is that the United States does not believe that a massive ground invasion of Rafa where 1.3 or more million people are.
Sheltering having been pushed out of other parts of Gaza that are now dest destroyed into the area where humanitarian assistance comes in this is not the best way forward there are better ways to go after Hamas and Rafa we presented those ways to our Israeli counterparts in a session we held last week there have been ongoing technical.
Talks between our teams since then and I anticipate we'll have another opportunity at senior levels to engage them in Rafa and that conversation will uh stay ongoing and then we will make determinations about how we proceed based on how those conversations unfold yeah uh to follow on that Jake If U the US is not even being looped in on the.
Date for when this military operation is set to take place why do you think the US has any influence in those upcoming meetings to change Israel's strategy first of all when you talk about looped in the Prime Minister makes public statements he also talks to us in private about aspects of operations about their thinking with respect to.
Rafa in some considerable detail I sat in the Situation Room not long ago in a secure video conference that went on for hours going into specifics on this so I can't speak to every public comment he makes what I can tell you is that we have open channels of communication with the Israelis on these issues they understand our position and we have been.
Very clear about our deep and abiding concerns about arfa operation and our belief that there are better ways to deal with the Strategic threat Hamas poses than some of the ideas that have been put forward and our further belief that any kind of plan to protect civilians in a serious way in Rafa that's something we have yet to see be.
Presented to us and so our concerns continue and now we will have to wait and see what happens and the United States will respond accordingly yeah there's a report out today that the Israeli government plans to purchase 40,000 tents ahead of its invasion of raava has the US seen any sort of an evacuation plan particularly one.
Involving those tents as I said just in the answer to the last question I have not yet seen a credible and executable plan to move people that has the any level of detail about how you not only house feed and provide medicine for uh those innocent civilians but also how you deal with things like sanitation water and other basic Services we have.
Not seen that yet do you think 40,000 tons would be sufficient we more be needed I'm not going to stand at the podium and and substitute for the Judgment of humanitarian experts who could speak to what precisely on the shelter front as well as on all of these other fronts I just described uh would be sufficient uh so I just can't react.
In real time to news reports like that yeah on on the Japan visit tomorrow um the president has said to us Steel Workers I have your back I mean it um what is his message to the Prime Minister tomorrow about the potential acquisition of us steel how strongly uh will the president convey his opposition and will there be any specific things.
That the president will either urge the prime minister to do or will say steps that he's willing to take to prevent uh prevent an acquisition you guys all know Joe Biden you've seen Joe Biden he's been very clear that he's going to stand up for American workers he's going to defend their interests he's also been very.
Clear that he is going to make sure that the US Japan Alliance is the strongest it's ever been he's going to accomplish both of those things that's what he has set out to do as president that's what he'll continue to do and I won't comment further on the uh the specifics of diplomatic conversations between the two leaders yeah J can you give us a better.
Understanding what is the US's assessment of the troop withdrawal we've seen by the Israelis recently from Gaza is this in response to pressure from the United States was there any commitment made to the US there is this a way of trying to advance negotiations with Hamas and do you view this as a change in the way Israel is Prosecuting its War.
There you'll have to speak with the Israelis about the purpose or motive behind their particular operational moves I'm not going to characterize that from the podium what I will say there has been no private commitment made to you that we will remove troops based on the conversation you had or after months of pressure as you might expect I'm also.
Not going to get into private diplomatic conversations between the president and the Prime Minister but what I will say is that a reduction in the intensity and scope of military operations does create a greater opening for the movement of humanitarian Goods around Gaza at a critical moment uh when there is a real humanitarian crisis there so we wel.
Welcome the opportunity to move more trucks in and then move more trucks around Gaza so that the innocent people uh uh innocent civilians there can get the food water medicine and other Essentials that they need for their you also welcome Aras and ashad the announcement that was made by the Prime Minister by the Israelis last week.
Neither of them have opened now approaching a week since then are you satisfied with this timetable we were told that the US from your colleague John Kirby needed to see action within hours or days it's now days but certainly well Beyond hours are you satisfied by the pace of this and what commitments has the US been made about.
How soon that will occur well just to take the the opening uh point of your question which is that we welcome these steps what we actually said very clearly from the first minute was um Israel has made public statements now we need to see them follow through with action and that action needs to be specific concrete and measurable and that goes.
For the opening of a Crossing into uh Northern Gaza from Israel it goes for the opening of ashad Port um when it comes to those two things we will watch to see what unfolds over the next few days what John Kirby was talking about in terms of hours was a step change in the willingness of the Israeli government to take action to get more.
Aid into Gaza and if you look at the last two days there's been a substantial increase in the amount of Aid going into Gaza that's good it is not good enough we would like to see more action following through on what the Prime Minister has announced publicly and we'd like to see that over the course of the next few days yeah thank youe CNN has.
Reported that the US is bracing for retaliatory attack by Iran in the Middle East what can you tell us about your current assessment whether that's inevitable and what the US is doing to safeguard its assets there so we are watching public statements by Iranian officials uh public reports of Iranian plans uh to potentially take retaliatory.
Action and we have made clear that as the president president said to the Prime Minister and as was read out in his call that America's support for Israel's security is Ironclad and America's support for Israel's defense against threats from Iran and its proxies is Ironclad and I'm not going to speak to operational details beyond that.
On Ukraine speaker Johnson has said that he will pursue what he described as Innovations to the Senate package has the White House been briefed on what those Innovations are and whether the president could support any of them we our teams between the White House and speaker Johnson's teams as well as with the other leaders in both the house and.
The Senate have had ongoing discussions about how we get a bipartisan um a a bill that is supported on a bipartisan basis passed by 70 votes in the Senate we believe it could be passed by an overwhelming bipartisan majority in the house actually onto the floor and voted upon and I'm not going to speak to the specifics of those.
Conversations because I don't want to negotiate from the podium yeah thanks Jake um just on Russia um Russian investigators said today they're opening a probe into the financing of terrorism that they say involves Western countries specifically including funds received by The Firm barisma by which Hunter Biden was employed um what's your comment on.
That is that just a political Ploy or what how do you view that I mean it's nonsense Russia knows that it was Isis who committed the attack in Moscow we know it was Isis who committed the attack in Moscow we warned Russia of an impending terrorist attack in Moscow and all of the rest of this is noise briefly very briefly um uh yesterday um David.
Cameron the British foreign secretary met with uh Donald Trump uh what's your what's your view on that as the president concerned to see him meeting a potential election right I'm not going to speak to campaign related issues Hatch Act so I'll plead that move on y thank you so you are saying that uh changes from Israel are good but not.
Good enough so to pursue more changes are you going to do something besides talking to them well what the president said on Friday is that our policy will be determined by the actions that we see unfold we've seen them take some actions we would like to see more actions and as secretary blinkin said last week um if Israel doesn't continue to sustain and.
Make further changes then our policy will change and I won't go beyond that today we're going to continue to watch we've seen positive steps we have welcomed those positive steps and we have said that we need to see more steps particularly the follow through on the things that they have committed to public thank you Jack uh two questions.
Quick uh regarding the defense indust history coroporation and uh joint production of Defense equipment between United States in Japan do you think uh uh South Korea and United States in Japan will be join this industrial cooperation is the uh to strengthen their power in the in the Pacific.
Region look I I believe I don't necessarily like to use the word synergies very often but I do believe that there are synergies on a trilateral basis in terms of our technological industrial economic capacity as well as our security and Military cooperation and we want to build on that for tomorrow what we are announcing will be.
Bilateral measures in this space and then of course we would be open in the future to discussing things more Jaan is approaching North Korea for Summit but North Korea says it is not interes because there is no content for the summit what is the United States position on Japan to push for a summit with.
No speaking from the United States's perspective we believe that principal diplomacy is a good thing it's a necessary component of an overall strategy to confront the North Korean threat we ourselves have indicated we're prepared to engage in diplomacy with North Korea of course the North Koreans have not shown any interest in that they.
Have only tried to move down the track of further development of their uh weapons uh their missile and nuclear programs and so we the United States have pulled closer together with our allies to enhance our capacity and posture in the Endo Pacific and we'll continue to do that yeah um Jake you were scheduled to travel to Saudi Arabia.
Before you were recently injured first how are you doing and second uh is there a rescheduling of that meeting uh with the crown prins back in the books cracking your rib is very painful maybe not as maybe not as painful as answering your questions but I I I kind of Rush the timing on that joke which I prepared for so um yeah uh no it actually it it.
Um it hurts a lot uh some of you may have cracked your ribs at some point there's not a lot you can do about it other than just rest and yes I intend to go to Saudi Arabia nothing scheduled yet what happened you got to tell us just follow you mentioned bilateral deliverables for the Prime Minister tomorrow but can you.
Also touch on some of the more Regional uh stuff there are also plans for an integrated air and defense missile system with Japan Australia for example if you can speak about that how Japan can support AAS and also any plans for trilateral joint Naval patrols between us Japan and the Philippines anything you can share well first of all in the.
Naval patrols we just saw trilateral plus Australia a new form of quadrilateral joint Naval patrols last week so you can expect to see more of that in the future with respect to Aus uh there was an Aus defense ministerial yesterday with with a statement that came out of it that indicated what we've been saying for quite some time which is.
That under pillar two of aus which is the advanced technology pillar um we're prepared to work with additional Partners beyond the three of us uh where they can bring capabilities and Japan is one of the countries that could very well bring capabilities to that so we will explore partnership with Japan under the under pillar two of AAS as.
Well as other partners so is the uh the approach broadly I mean if we look at this it's kind of like what you guys have been trying to do in the Middle East against Iran on this uh joint this integrated missile air defense system so is the president's ultimate Vision ultimately uh an air and also Naval network of alliances against Iran in the.
Middle East and then China in the Indo Pacific is that's where he's going that is not how I would characterize it uh the president has said that his alliances are not designed against they're designed for they're designed for a free and open indopacific for peace and stability in the Indo Pacific and frankly the American alliance system.
Has helped bring peace and stability to the indopacific for decades and now we need to update and upgrade that Alliance Network for the Modern Age and that includes also reaching out to Partners who are not traditional treaty allies of the United States who have a key role to play in ensuring that the Endo Pacific remains free open prosperous and secure.
So that's how we're looking at things uh across the region and by the way it goes Way Beyond security it's economics it's technology its infrastructure development um and uh its diplomacy and that's all going to be on display in the meeting with the Prime Minister and it's all going to be on display in the trilateral meeting among president.
Marcos prime minister kashida and President Biden Gaza please Jake if I may uh tomorrow is the end of Ramadan the president originally said that the goal was a ceasefire before Ramadan tomorrow is the end of Ramadan what does that say about the president's ability to bring about peace well I think it says more about the fact that you have a.
Party Hamas who is holding innocent people uh that it took hostage a long time ago doesn't get a lot of attention unfortunately in the commentary and I've said that from the podium before and uh there could be a ceasefire in place today that would extend for several weeks to be built upon longer if Hamas would be prepared to release some of.
Those people so uh let's train the attention where it belongs which is that the world should say at this moment to Hamas it's time let's go let's get that ceasefire we're ready I believe Israel is ready and I think Kamas should step up to the table and be prepared to do so as well yeah Shin ping that earlier today with Russian foreign minister Lov.
Um I wondered what you made of that meeting and just is the US seeing any evidence that China may offer some type of direct military aid to Russia in the war with Ukraine we have not seen any evidence that they'll provide direct military aid to Russia but we have expressed our concerns about inputs to Russia's defense indust industrial base.
Something secretary blinkin spoke about I think quite effectively in Europe last week um I can't comment on the meeting or characterize it yet because I actually haven't had a chance to get a readout yeah just to um to follow up on Danny's question a policy question on a political question with Cameron at maralago is this something that the.
Administration knew about in advance and is it helpful to have the former president potentially weighing in uh more on Ukraine and meeting in meeting with foreign leaders so I I'll take the first of that as a factual question yes we knew it about it in advance and and beyond that I'm not going to comment on it yeah I just wanted to follow up on.
The Aus question because we heard a lot from the Australian prime minister yesterday about how it wasn't an invitation for Japan to join that Alliance is that something that the US envisions happening Sunday and is any part of this discussion this week part of moving toward thatal on Aus on Aus yeah so what the statement said was that.
Were engaging in discussions with a range of Partners and then it went on to say that Japan could be a critical contributor to this you will see when they speak tomorrow uh an indication that that's the direction we're moving in uh and I'll leave the precise terms of that announcement to the president the prime minister to make so I don't.
Front run them yeah thanks uh on the meeting with Japan uh tomorrow is the president going to discuss the high-speed rail uh in Texas and uh how does he Square support for that with opposing the neon steel uh merger or acquisition of us steel I can't tell you standing here today whether the high speed rail issue will come up tomorrow.
Or not one more bricks one more if I could on bricks um Iran Egypt UAE and Ethiopia have joined Bricks now um with Saudi Arabia considering it how worried is the president that the that he's been uh degraded on the world stage in terms of of of the leadership well if you look at what's happened with NATO we've made NATO larger than ever if you look at.
What's just happening this week a historic trilateral with the US Japan and the Philippines if you look across the Indo Pacific at how we we've upgraded our relations not just with traditional allies but with the likes of Vietnam Indonesia aan as a whole if you look at the fact that next month the president will welcome uh the president.
Of Kenya for a state visit here a historic moment one of the few times that a president has welcomed an African leader if you look at the fact that twice he's hosted all of the leaders of the Pacific Islands that he's hosted all of the leaders of Africa at a summit in the United States that the United States has increased its investments in the.
Infrastructure physical digital energy infrastructure in the Americas in Africa and Southeast Asia and Beyond the partnership between the US and India a country in bricks uh has gone to new heights with an engagement uh across technology and so many insecurity and so many other dimensions I think if you look at the US role and standing in its.
Relationships across the key regions of the world we feel feel very good about where we are all right so um Jake really quick I just need an update on immigration and uh the funding for Haiti the immigration piece is there going to be some kind of temporary movement to allow Haitians um as they're dealing with uh War assassination of the.
President democracy is pretty much gone um they're in tyranny from uh coordinated militia there will there be a temporary change in status for immigration to the United States um they can seek a solemn here instead of seeking a solemn there and what's going on with the funding uh that that the White House has proposed and that.
Republicans are kind of holding up when it comes to we are Consulting with the Congress to try to unlock that funding because it is critical to get a multinational security Force led by the kenyons on the ground in Haiti as soon as possible to help bring about stability and calm so that we can alleviate the suffering of innocent.
People in Haiti as you were referring to and then the United States has a very forward leaning policy Rel relative to Haitians being able to access programs to come to the United States we will continue that as we go forward it's a historic level of access for people who would be fleeing violence or otherwise seeking uh to deal with their.
Circumstances in Haiti by coming here that's going just a a followup though but if everything is so broken down in ha and militia is basically controlling everything how can people genuinely go to file for Asylum and really make it happen and and come here versus just getting on a boat or going some kind of way to get here I mean it's wouldn't.
Isn't that harder and a a war torn or militia torn country to do that there versus just coming here not sure I entirely understand the question but the root of all of this of people's ability to operate freely in their country or choose where they're going to go from their country is security and stability and the United.
States is leading a global effort to try to help restore stability and calm to Haiti through a multinational force and we need the funding to do that and I thank you for raising that because we would like support on a bipartisan basis from the Congress to unlock that funding which is currently being held and we're pressing for that on a daily basis I'll.
Take one more question yeah uh the French foreign minister said that if France is contemplating imposing sanction on Israel in order to speed up humanitarian Aid turkey as well which is a close Ally of yours uh imposed restriction on on trade and goods with Israel at what stage the administration will consider similar U measures and.
Also do you still believe that Israel is not in violation of the Geneva Convention or International humanitarian law so I will say uh sound a bit like a broken record to your first question which is repeating what the president said repeating what secretary blinkin said our policy going forward is going to be determined by whether we see.
Sustained follow through on specific concrete and measurable steps to provide access provide deconfliction take other measures to alleviate the suffering of people in Gaza and if Israel's policy doesn't change on a sustained basis and that way our policy will change and I can't go beyond that a question all right fine one more yeah go.
Ahead so back to North Korea if decid to meet Kim does support for such a meeting under any conerns so again I I can't speak to a hypothetical of what may happen or may not happen I've only just made the point on a principled sustained basis the United States has supported diplomacy with North Korea as long as it fits into.
A broader approach that is well coordinated uh with us with South Korea and we should continue to work in that direction and I can't speak to any particular meeting because I don't know the specifics of it thanks attack on churches uh thank you so much Jake uh.
Uh we have about 10 minutes or so um I think I'm I think some of you are tracking that uh the uh the the hostage families or the families of the hostages are going to be speaking at the sticks and we want to give you all an opportunity uh to ask questions at like 3 o' they just me the vice president uh I I believe so yes they did just met.
With the vice president I shouldn't say I believe so yes they just met with or they're meeting or I'm not sure where they are in that process um so don't have too much time but Joshua it's always good to see you go ahead good to see you um too quick uh following up on Arizona other than calling for a national law is there anything else the.
Administration plans to do in response I mean I think we've been very vocal here right we've been very straightforward uh we've been I don't know how how more uh vocal and and uh leaning into to where we stand on this which is with the majority of Americans we believe and been very clear the president the vice president president this Administration.
Uh that we have to make sure that there is uh when it comes to rep reproductive Freedom it that it is uh available to to to all to women you know millions of women right now who are put in a incredibly difficult situation we you you all have written about the stories you've all heard the stories about what women are have to go to now because of.
These restrictive uh extreme restrictive bills that we have seen laws that we have seen across the country so we're going to keep the issue of reproductive fre Freedom at the Forefront that's what we're going to do we're going to continue to call it out it is causing chaos what we saw this former president do in making sure that there were uh.
Supreme Court Justices that he appointed to the obviously to the Supreme Court that overturned Ro v Wade because of the do's decision and you know it's it's created some uh some awful stories some chaos as I just mentioned and so we're going to continue to put that out the Forefront we believe that uh women's lives are at stake across the country.
And we're just not going to stop speaking out and obviously we're going to ask Congress uh to legislate and make roie way the uh the law of the land and that's something that we're going to continue to do and and then inflation's at 3.2% it's higher than it was in January are there any concerns that the disinflation we saw last year is.
Starting to stall out so look um um I'm going to say that uh this is a president that is doing everything that we can to fight inflation right to build an economy from the bottom up middle out and we've been pretty consistent about that and over uh what we have seen over the past several months uh is that inflation is down 2/3 and core inflation.
Is at the lowest since since May of 2021 that matters wages are rising faster than prices over the last year since the pandemic we've seen 15 million jobs created because of the policies that this president has put forward some some really historic uh bipartisan even uh uh legislation that's come into law that help create uh those those millions of.
Jobs unemployment is at under 4% is there more work to be done absolutely we're going to continue to do everything that we can to lower uh lower cost uh we're going to take on continue to take on big Pharma for example we're going to continue to lower housing cost which we know really hurts uh families and you hear a talk talk about um you know junk.
Fees getting rid of Chunk fees and the gouging that we're seeing from corporations that's also very important Congress Congressional Republicans want to do the opposite they want to cut Social Security Medicare Medicaid cutting taxes for the wealthy and big corporations that's not where this President is you heard him talk about it.
In depth during the state of the union and we're going to continue to fight for Americans so look we see inflation is down it is important and we're going to continue to build an economy that leaves no one behind thank you CR in Michigan the parents of a school shooter have just been sentenced to at least 10 years in.
Prison does the White House think this President could impact the number of school shootings in the future and does the president believe parent should be held accountable in this way so look I I I I don't want to get ahead of the legal process here there is a legal process I want to be super careful uh but the president obviously remains uh committed.
To stopping tragedies like these from happening it is a tragedy that we're seeing in all communities across the country ending the epidemic of gun violence uh that is tearing up communities is a is a priority for this President we know that when it comes to guns it is a number one killer of our children and that shouldn't be uh so we.
Know uh that most students who carry out uh the k212 school shootings are using Firearms they obtain from home of a friend or family member that's why we recently announced new executive actions to help promote the safe storage of firearms uh the US Department of Education released guidance to help parents and families learn about the.
Importance of safe firearm storage and the doj uh released a gun guide on best practices for safely storing Firearms under the leadership of this President of this Administration we'll continue to use every tool at our disposal to implement these and other Common Sense gun safety measures to protect our children we're going to continue to work.
We did the bipartisan safer communities act act uh that you know that we passed uh in 2021 obviously in a bipartisan way that was important but we need Congress to take another step and so uh we're going to continue to push Congress on on um taking more steps to get get those uh get those uh weapons of war if you will uh out of out of off our streets and.
That's what the president wants to continue to do so no reaction no I'm going to be super careful about the legal process I I've talked through I just laid out I think in pretty detail about what we're doing uh to make sure that you know the Stu uh as we know the k212 students who carry out those types of uh horrific actions they're getting.
They easily have access to Firearms so we're trying to through doj through an executive action try to figure out and and really help parents and uh and folks really store their firearms in a way that this doesn't happen so we've taken actions and steps in those in those forms in that way and so look we're going to continue to do what we can to.
Work with Congress uh to do more get married just a follow up on Jake's comments on Rafa you know he stopped short of saying that an invasion would lead to a change in US policy you want to see how these high level talks and conversations play out but the White House has been very public in warning Israel that if they don't make concrete.
Changes to address humanitarian suffering there will be these changes why not extend that warning to an invasion that you clearly have very deep concerns about so I want to be really careful I mean you had the National Security adviser right in front of you lay out uh where we are with the conversations we had a virtual.
Conversation Jake was part of it he just talked about how it it took some hours uh that that happened just about a week ago and the most important thing there is that there's conversations happening with the Israel government and our government and we're and they're listening to what we're saying uh they're and uh and obviously we're.
Hearing them out and we understand I want to be really clear we understand that there are Hamas operatives in in the Rafa but there're also more than 1 million uh innocent civilians who are taking refuge in in Rafa uh and we want to make sure that they are protected so a major military operations is not something that we support we've been.
Pretty consistent about that don't want to get into hypotheticals here but we believe that the conversations are happening they've been productive that is important there's going to be a face-to-face conversation in person conversation uh that the Israeli government agreed to so that's going to happen uh and so but those open line of.
Communications as National Security adviser was saying just moments ago from this Podium uh is continuing they're happening almost every day and and so just want to be super super careful about uh not getting to hypotheticals but we're in conversation they've been productive we had one last week virtually uh and we're going to continue.
Uh to to make sure that we're having those discussion and they hear from us directly about how we believe protecting those more than about 1.5 million civilians in Rafa we got to protect those lives should we expect that us Israel meeting to take place uh I believe it's going from what I've been hearing from our folks at National.
Security Council is going to be in a couple of weeks uh but again those open line of communication there's constant communication happening every day but as it relates to this particular conversation when they're going to be here in person uh the me members of the Israeli government that's going to happen in a couple.
Weeks thank you cran a couple days ago in Dearborn there were protesters chanting death to America and death to Israel does the president condemn that yes is the president at all concerned that Dearborn is becoming is facing a risk of becoming a hot bed of any sort of homegrown threats I I I I don't have any uh intelligence.
To share with you on that obviously that's something that we're always very Vig Vigilant uh about but don't have any National Intelligence to to share with you and then but obviously we will condemn any any uh violent re which which we have been very I mean you're hearing from me right you're asking me a question I'm answering it.
And we've been very Vig Vigilant about or very consistent about denouncing that type of uh that type of of rhetoric should we see a should we expect a statement from the president on that though I me it was a pretty significant display I mean you're hearing from me I think that's uh important the other part too that I do want to be very clear.
About you know peaceful protest is something that the president has also been very uh very clear that is important for to give folks space to to peacefully protest but any type of uh violent rhetoric we are going to denounce and then on uh some of the comments he made today did did the president mean to essentially accuse.
Republicans of of murder I mean the language that he was using to describe um opposition to the Affordable Care Act the quote was um they want to terminate the Affordable Care Act terminate well guess what killing millions of Americans does he think that Republicans are trying to kill Americans I think you're I think you're taking the most extreme.
Uh uh extreme definition or extreme evaluation of what the president said here's the reality um the Affordable Care Act which obviously started in the uh Obama Biden Administration the president expanded on that uh making sure that people have affordable health care that saves lives it does it is important stronger but you're taking.
What he said to the most extreme part of of uh your definition or your realization I know but but let's be let's be really clear let's let's be really clear people having Health Care is important it saves lives it is important to have that the fact that this president was able to expand that is important right we're.
Talking about people who didn't have access uh to to uh health care that could whether they're dealing with diabetes or cancer or something that is affecting their everyday life right and I think you know when you have a a party uh that's trying to get rid of Social Security Medicare Medicaid and says it bluntly and wants to repeal they try to.
Repeal affordable health care or Affordable Care Act to be more specific more than 60 times they literally voted on it when it is saving people's lives why why do they do that why do they not want Americans to have health care Affordable Health Care to protect themselves to save their lives I mean that's the question to be asked the.
President's trying to do the right thing he's trying to be be where majority of Americans are uh and protect uh protect their Healthcare protect their Medicare protect their Medicaid and you don't see that from the other side you just don't he literally had a back and forth with them during the State of the Union about that so okay on the nomination of adal M.
Um there are three Democrats publicly opposed um do you does the administration feel like there are some winnable Republican votes here and is the administration committed to filling this Circuit Court position by the end of the year even if that means you know moving on from somebody's door I don't know what's happening a.
Chime everything's okay here it's windy it's windy um warm but to your question I'm I'm going to be um I'm not going to comment or respond to uh particular members uh I will say what I've said many times from here is that the president is deeply proud to have nominated uh an.
Extraordinary qualified person uh for this position who is being targeted by malicious attacks we know that uh we we we have heard from the Anti-Defamation League they made that clear they debunked the right-wing smear campaign against Mr Maji they said it was profoundly wrong uh and it is unfortunate that we're seeing this and.
So we're fighting for him uh we are continuing to have conversations with members of Congress about this we're committed to getting him through uh and uh you know we again this President believes that he's highly qualified uh and is proud to have nominated him to this position we have like one more question because we're we're running out.
Go ahead go ahead Brian go ahead Brian thanks a lot green I wanted to ask about the my orcus impeachment how Republicans are planning to send um uh articles of impeachment to the Senate uh what is the president's response to this and has the president personally reach out to members of the Senate to talk about this so the president spoke I think the last.
Time they tried to do this and were unsuccessful the president put out a state and he said that uh history will not look kindly on House Republicans about this uh it is a Blain Act of unconstitutional partisanship that's what the president has said he continues to believe that look the president was in Madison Wisconsin yesterday he talked.
About student loans he talked about ways to give Americans a little bit more of breathing room making sure that they can go after their dreams right making sure that borrows who have been really crunched uh by uh by student loans has an opportunity to get out from that and that's something that Republicans could be helpful with but instead they get in.
The way and they get in the way and block what the president is doing but he's going to continue to do that there is a National Security Supplemental that could go to the floor in the in house in the house that the speaker can put to the floor we know it pass overwhelmingly we know that it would protect our national security it would help Ukraine.
The brave people of Ukraine who are fighting uh for their democracy help them they are getting in the way of that so look there there are ways let's not forget the bipartisan border deal right that the former president said to Republicans to reject that deal because it's it would help Joe Biden and hurt him who who are they working for are.
They actually working for the constituents who put them into office I mean that's a question for them to to to have to answer majority of Americans the things that I just listed out majority of Americans want to see action they want to see us work in a bipartisan way we saw that coming out of the 2022 uh midterm election they want to see us.
Come together and get things done so House Republicans need to stop playing politics they need to stop being partisan about these issues that matter to majority of Americans and get to work and get to work we expect them to be leaders but so do Americans expect them to be leaders as well guys I have to go because I know they're going to go to.
The sticks and I want to make sure that you guys get that and so the president obviously is going to have the two plus two press conference tomorrow and then we'll be back on Thursday thanks everybody
