This is a doozy. Even for Joe Biden.
WOW!
Even the mainstream has finally come out (post-election of course) and admitted that Biden has been a historic disaster on the border.
So according to Biden he brought down illegal immigration AND inflation when he took office?
Remember this?
Must be nice to live in Joe’s delusional world.
The President also commented on META’s change of course regarding fact-checking, pardoning himself and Ukraine.
Read the White House Transcript here:
t a pardon for yourself or any other additional members of the family?
THE PRESIDENT: For myself?
Q Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: What would I pardon myself for?
Q That’s what I’m asking. (Laughs.)
THE PRESIDENT: No, I have no contemplation of pardoning myself for anything. I didn’t do anything wrong.
Q Mr. President, would you comment on Meta’s decision to end its fact-checking operations in the United States? Is that a good decision, in your opinion?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, look, the whole idea of walking away from facts-checking, as well as not reporting anything having to do with discrimination regarding to TPS, I — I find to be just contrary to American justice, American — the way we talk about one another. Telling the truth matters.
I mean, it’s — I know I’m on national television, but you all are local reporters and national reporters. I — I’m not — this is not a legi- — real question, but what do you think? You think it doesn’t matter that they let be printed where millions of people read it things that are simply not true?
I mean, I want to know what that’s all about. It’s just completely contrary to everything America is about. We want to tell the truth. We haven’t always done it as a nation, but we want to tell the truth.
And the idea — (laughs) — that, you know, a billionaire can buy something and say, “By the way, from this point on, we’re not going to — we’re not going to fact-check anything.”
And, you know, when you have millions of people reading — going online and reading this stuff, it — it is —
Anyway, I think it’s — I think it’s really shameful.
Q Mr. President — Mr. President, do you regret your decision to run for reelection? Do you think that that made it easier for your predecessor to now become your successor?
THE PRESIDENT: I don’t think so. I think I would have beaten Trump, could have beaten Trump. And I think that Kamala could have beaten Trump, would have beaten Trump.
It wasn’t about — I thought it was important to unify the party. And when the party was worried about whether or not I was going to be able to move, I thought it was — even though I thought I could win again, I thought it was better to unify the party.
And I had — it was the greatest honor in my life to be president of the United States, but I didn’t want to be one who caused a party that wasn’t unified to lose an election, and that’s why I stepped aside. But I was confident she could win.
Q Do you think she should run again?
Q Can I ask you what your assessment is of how long Ukraine can last without further aid if, in fact, your administration marks the end of American provisions over there, sir?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, I had long talk with Zelenskyy today, and I think that as long as we continue to keep Western Europe united as it relates to Ukraine, that there is a real chance that the Ukrainians can prevail, because the cost to Russia is incredibly high. Over six hundred-some thousand dead or wounded. The Koreans they brought in is having high mortality rates as well.
And I made it clear that I was — I provided every bit of funding that the authority I have as president — to be able to do that now, and I know that there are a significant number of Democrats and Republicans on the Hill who think we should continue to support Ukraine. It is my hope and expectation they’ll speak up and not agree to President — if — if — if Trump decides to cut off fu- — funding for Ukraine.
Q Did — did the president-elect’s position on that conflict influence your decision to enact the oil and other sanctions on Russia today — in other words, put more pressure on Russia at a point where the president-elect appears to be (inaudible)?
THE PRESIDENT: The truth of the matter is no. But if it hadn’t — if those other conditions didn’t exist, it would have had an impact. I already decided that — Putin is in tough shape right now, and I think it’s really important that he not have any breathing room to continue to do the godawful things he is continuing to do.
And as I said, he’s got his own problems, economically — significant problems, economically as well as politically at home. And so, I decided to do everything I possibly could within my power and authority to give Ukraine every advantage it could have to be able to sustain support for an independent Ukraine.
Q You said, Vice President Harris would be able to beat — you said Vice President Harris had a good shot to beat Trump. Do you think she should run again in four years?
THE PRESIDENT: I think that’s a decision she should ma- — I think she’s competent to run again in four years. That’ll be a decision for her to make.
Q Mr. President, on Venezuela. The sanctions that your administration announced today, some are saying that they don’t go far enough by not targeting the petroleum sector. Why was this administration hesitant to apply further sanctions to the oil and gas industry there?
THE PRESIDENT: That’s still being investigated in terms of what impact it would have and whether or not it would just be replaced by Iran or any other count- — so matters what — what would happen afterwards.
I had a long discussion, again, with the man who should be appointed president on that score, and — and — but since I didn’t have a clear answer to what that would be — if I had more time, I may very well do that, but it — I wasn’t — I didn’t the — enough data to make that judgment.
Q If I — if I could also ask about Havana syndrome. Today, the intelligence community assessment changed slightly, with two intelligence agencies now saying there’s an even chance that this is being caused by a foreign actor. Do you personally believe that a foreign actor is responsible for these incidents?
THE PRESIDENT: No. Now, do I believe that — that ISIS’s theology, if you will, has impacted people in America — some who are not particularly well suited to handle the life of — they live. That — it has that effect.
But I — there’s no – I find no evidence, and I’ve — I’ve done — I spent 17, 18 hours with the community, right off the bat, trying to determine whether or not there was any outside influence. And thus far, we find no connection between an outside player, individual, but that doesn’t mean someone reading the malarkey that they’re — that’s going out there does — isn’t influenced by it.
Both these men, both in — in Nevada and in Louisiana, have been men who’ve had their own problems that have — but not because they’ve been influenced by a specific individual that I’m —
Q Sorry. Sorry, sir. My question was on Havana syndrome, not — not Nevada. Sorry, on the Havana syndrome, the intelligence community today, part of their assessment changed, saying that there is now an even chance that the Havana syndrome cases and incidents — there’s a foreign actor potentially behind them. Do you — is that — do you agree with that assessment?
THE PRESIDENT: I — I don’t have the full brief on that right now. I’m not going to comment on that.
Q Do you have an update on Austin Tice in Syria and whether or not he’s —
THE PRESIDENT: The answer is I’m not going to respond to that because that’s an active, ongoing issue. You know, my attitude about getting prisoners released from abroad, and I’m not going to comment on that right now.
Q And just one question, again, back on pardons and commutations. Can you just give us a sense of what other pardons and commutations you’re considering in your last 10 days?
THE PRESIDENT: Well, the answer is no, because two things. One is that it depends on some of the language and expectations that Trump broadcasts in the last couple days here as to what he’s going to do. The idea that he would punish people for not adhering to what he thinks should be policies related to his well-being is outrageous, but there’s still consideration of some folks. The — nothing — but no decision.
MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right, thanks everybody.
Q Have you talked about what kind of post presidency — what kind of —
(Cross-talk.)
Q Have you decided what kind of a — what kind of a — what kind of role will you have post presidency, sir? Do you plan to speak out after you leave Washington or are you going to follow, kind of, the Bush model where you’re kind of out of sight and out of mind?
THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.) I’m not going to be out of sight or out of mind.
Thank you. (Inaudible.) Thank you.