White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre became defensive during her Wednesday briefing, responding to a question about why the president was heading to his rural retirement this weekend as the country faces a debt meltdown in just eight days.
She answered questions as negotiators remain deadlocked over negotiating a debt ceiling deal and markets plunged amid fears of a US default.
Officials predict the calamity is just a week away.
“On the debt ceiling, you used words like catastrophic and devastating today, but the president is going to Camp David again this weekend and then to Delaware. If the situation is so serious, then why is the president…” said a journalist before being interrupted by the press secretary.
“I just answered that question,” she said. ‘Do you have another one? I literally just answered this question.
White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre became defensive during her Wednesday briefing, responding to a question about why the president was heading to his rural retirement this weekend as the country was facing a debt meltdown in just eight days.
Biden is due to leave town on Friday for the Camp David presidential retreat. He is not expected to return to Washington until Sunday evening despite crisis talks
In fact, he had been asked earlier if the president would commit to staying in Washington, DC, until a deal was struck. And she responded by saying he would stay in touch with members of Congress and staff.
“The president will be where he needs to be to strike a reasonable bipartisan deal to prevent the economic catastrophe that Republicans are threatening…this manufactured crisis,” she said.
And so that’s what he’s going to do. He will do it wherever he needs to be.
Biden cut short a trip to Asia last week, ditching a visit to Australia, in order to rush back for crisis talks.
But on Wednesday, his public platform made no mention of debt talks. And he looks set to leave town for the weekend, as he has done for most of his presidency, first at Camp David and then at his home just outside Wilmington, Delaware.
Meanwhile, Jean-Pierre blasted Republicans, saying they had admitted they were holding the economy hostage.
It came after Republican Rep. Matt Gaetz, a vocal member of the House Freedom Caucus, told Semafor his colleagues agreed and, “They don’t think we should negotiate with our hostage.”
Jean-Pierre said it was clear this was a manufactured crisis.
Biden ditched a visit to Australia last week to focus on debt talks, but it looks like the 80-year-old can’t shake the habit of walking away from the White House at weekends. end.
“And don’t take our word for it, just listen to the members of the House Freedom Caucus,” she said. “They’ve been very honest about it, and now…say the quiet thing out loud, referring to the full faith and credit of the United States as a ‘hostage.’
However, she missed her furious attack on Republicans, leaving reporters at the White House struggling not to laugh when she referenced former Treasury Secretary ‘Steven Munchkin’.
She paused and raised a finger as if to repeat herself before repeating, “Munchkin,” and reading one of his quotes.
In fact, it was Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary, Steven Mnuchin, who, when asked if it was possible to prioritize spending in order to delay the worst impacts of a debt crisis, said “I don’t think that makes sense”.
Steven Munchkin was not Donald Trump’s Treasury Secretary. It was Steven Mnuchin
“The government must honor all its obligations and the debt ceiling must be raised.”
And he said it in 2017, not in response to questions about the current crisis.
Biden negotiators and House Speaker McCarthy met again at the White House earlier today to try to reach an agreement to raise the $31.4 trillion debt ceiling and guarantee that the federal government can continue to pay its bills.
Time is counted. The Treasury Department has warned the government that it could run out of money as early as June 1 and that any deal would have to be passed by Congress before then.
Despite his harsh words, Jean-Pierre seemed to say that progress was being made.
“If this continues in good faith, we can reach an agreement here,” she said.
And on Capitol Hill, U.S. House Majority Leader Steve Scalise said members would still begin their Memorial Day recess on Thursday as scheduled.
He said members would be given 24 hours’ notice to return to Washington if an agreement on raising the cap was reached.
