White House Daily Briefing

April 24, 2024

Unidentified Speaker: TALKING ABOUT A PROVISION IN THIS AID PACKAGE.
>> GOOD AFTERNOON, EVERYONE. I'M GOING TO BE SUPERQUICK. I'M GOING TO TURN THINGS OVER TO NATIONAL SECURITY ADVISOR JAKE SULLIVAN WHO IS HERE TO TALK ABOUT THE NATIONAL SECURITY SUPPLEMENTAL THAT THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THIS MORNING. AND OUR SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE, OUR CONTINUED SUPPORT FOR UKRAINE. JAKE? ADV.
SULLIVAN: THANK YOU. KARIENENE WAS VERY SHORT. I HAVE A FEW THINGS TO LAY OUT. I'M SORRY WE ARE LATE FOR THE PODIUM TODAY BUT IT IS FOR GOOD REASON, WHICH IS I HAVE JUST COME FROM BEING WITH THE PRESIDENT WHEN HE A CHANCE TO MEET WITH THE FOUR-YEAR-OLD AMERICAN WHO WAS HELD HOSTAGE BY HAMAS IN GAZA AND WAS RELEASED LAST NOVEMBER AS PART OF THE FIRST HOSTAGE DEAL THE PRESIDENT WAS ABLE TO HELP BROKER AND NEGOTIATE. IT WAS ALSO A REMINDER IN GETTING TO SEE HER THAT THERE ARE STILL AMERICANS AND OTHERS BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY HAMAS AND WE ARE WORKING DAY IN AND THEY OUT TO ENSURE ALL OF THEM ALSO ARE ABLE TO GET SAFELY HOME TO THEIR LOVED ONES. THE MAIN REASON I HAVE COME TO THE PODIUM TODAY IS TO FOLLOW UP ON THE PRESIDENT'S REMARKS FROM EARLIER TODAY AND THE VERY IMPORTANT CONSEQUENTIAL VOTE THAT WAS TAKEN IN THE SENATE LAST NIGHT AND THE BILL THAT WAS SIGNED BY THE PRESIDENT THIS MORNING. THIS MORNING, YOU HEARD PRESIDENT BIDEN SPEAK ABOUT THE ARTICLE IMPORTANCE OF THE NATIONAL SECURITY SUPPLEMENTAL, WHICH CAME TO THE PRESIDENT'S DESK AS WE SAID IT WOULD WITH OVERWHELMING BIPARTISAN SUPPORT FROM THE U.S. CONGRESS. I HAVE STOOD AT THIS PODIUM NUMEROUS TIMES AND SAID THE ROAD MAY BE OF TWISTS AND TURNS. I CANNOT PREDICT WHEN IT WILL HAPPEN BUT I ALWAYS HAD CONFIDENCE IT WOULD HAPPEN. THAT IS BECAUSE OF THE DEEP RESERVOIR OF SUPPORT THERE IS FOR UKRAINE AND THAT IS TRUE OF DEMOCRATS. IT IS TRUE OF REPUBLICANS. IT IS TRUE OF INDEPENDENTS. THAT IS WHAT HAS SHOWN IN THE VOTES IN THE HOUSE AND THE 79 AYE VOTE WE SAW IN THE SENATE LAST NIGHT. THE PASSAGE HAS SENT A POWERFUL MESSAGE TO THE REST OF THE WORLD ABOUT THE ENDURING STRENGTH OF AMERICAN LEADERSHIP. THE REST OF THE WORLD HAS BEEN AND CONTINUES TO WATCH CLOSELY. AS YOU ALL KNOW, GETTING THIS LEGISLATION THROUGH CONGRESS HAS BEEN A TOP PRIORITY FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN SINCE HE FIRST SUBMITTED HIS UP A MENTAL REQUEST MORE THAN SIX MONTHS AGO. IT GETS TO A CORE TENET OF HIS FOREIGN-POLICY PHILOSOPHY. WHEN OUR FRIENDS AND ALLIES ARE STRONGER, WE THE UNITED STATES AND AMERICAN PEOPLE ARE STRONGER. WHEN OUR FRIENDS ARE ATTACKED OR THREATENED, WE THE UNITED STATES STAND UP FOR THEM. WE DO OUR PART. WE KEEP OUR WORD. WITH THAT SENATOR THIS MORNING, THE PRESIDENT KEPT AMERICA'S WORD WE WOULD STAND WITH UKRAINE THROUGH THICK AND THIN AND THAT IS EXACTLY WHAT WE WILL DO. WHEN RUSSIA BEGAN AMASSING TROOPS ON UKRAINE'S BORDER, THE PRESIDENT RALLIED THE WORLD TO RESPOND TO RUSSIA'S AGGRESSION. HE BUILT A BROAD COALITION THAT FLOWED CRITICAL AID TO UKRAINE AS THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE DEFEND THEMSELVES AND WON THE BATTLE FOR KYIV AND REGAINED HALF THE TERRITORY RUSSIA OCCUPIED SINCE 2022. I THE BILL THE PRESIDENT SIGNED TODAY AND THE SIGNIFICANT AND IMMEDIATE MILITARY AID PACKAGE HE APPROVED ONE MINUTE LATER, IT WILL SEND UKRAINE THE SUPPLIES IT NEEDS TO MAKE SOVEREIGNTY AND TERRITORIAL INTEGRITY. BILL WILL HELP PUNISH ISRAEL'S AIR DEFENSES WHICH IS MORE IMPORTANT FOLLOWING IRAN'S BRAIDS IN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK 10 DAYS AGO. IT WILL HELP ENSURE ISRAEL HAS WHAT IT NEEDS TO DEFEND ITSELF AGAINST THE REAL THREATS IT FACES FROM IRAN AS WELL AS IRAN'S PROXY GROUPS. THE SUPPLEMENTAL WILL SUBSTANTIALLY INCREASE MILITARY AND AID FOR PALESTINIAN CIVILIANS IN GAZA WHO ARE SUFFERING GRIEVOUSLY. AS WE WORK TO BUILD ON THE PROGRESS OF THE LAST TWO WEEKS IN TERMS OF AN INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF LIFESAVING HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE THAT HAS BEEN AND MUST CONTINUE TO FLOW INTO GAZA AND THE QUANTITIES AND THE TYPE OF HUMAN ITALIAN ASSISTANCE WE HAVE SEEN INCREASE OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS. WE NEED TO SEE CONTINUED AND SUSTAINED INCREASES AS WE GO FORWARD. THE BILL WILL ALSO ENHANCE AND EXPAND HUMANITARIAN AID FOR THOSE WHO HAVE BEEN IMPACTED BY INSTABILITY, BY CONFLICT, BY DISASTER ALL OVER THE WORLD INCLUDING IN HAITI AND SUDAN AND SOMALIA. THE BILL MAKES IMPORTANT VESTS -- IMPORTANT INVESTMENTS IN HER DEFENSE AND ACTUAL BASE THAT WAS STRENGTH IN OUR OWN MILITARY AND IT PROVIDES TIMELY SUPPORT TO ALLIES AND PARTNERS IN THE INDO PACIFIC AS WELL. GETTING THIS BILL PASSED ENTAILS MONTHS OF ADVOCACY, HANDS-ON WORK BY PRESIDENT BIDEN HIMSELF, HIS WHITE HOUSE TEAM, HIS NATIONAL SECURITY TEAM AND COUNTLESS BRIEFINGS, MEETINGS, HEARINGS BY DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES ACROSS OUR GOVERNMENT FOR THE CONGRESS IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE. IT WAS A LONG ROAD TO SECURE THIS FUNDING AND I HAVE TO SAY STANDING HERE TODAY, IT WAS TOO LONG. THE CONSEQUENCES OF THE DELAY HAVE BEEN FELT IN UKRAINE. OVER THE PAST SIX MONTH, UKRAINE HAS HAD TO RATION AMMUNITION. THAT HAS RESULTED IN THE LOSS OF SOME TERRITORY IN THE EAST. WHILE TODAY'S ANNOUNCEMENT IS GOOD NEWS FOR UKRAINE, THERE STEER UNDER SEVERE PRESSURE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. IT IS POSSIBLE RUSSIA COULD MAKE ADDITIONAL TACTICAL GAINS ON OF THE COMING WEEKS. RUSSIA HAS TRIED TO GRIND OUT VERY SLOW, COSTLY PROGRESS ON MULTIPLE FRONTS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. THEY ARE THREATENING SETTLEMENTS TO THE WEST AND THEY ARE RAINING DOWN ON KHARKIV AND CITIES ACROSS UKRAINE. THE FACT AS IT IS GOING TO TAKE SOME TIME FOR US TO DIG OUT OF THE HOLE THAT WAS CREATED BY SIX-MONTH SUB DELAY BEFORE CONGRESS PASSED THE SUPPLEMENTAL. THAT IS WHY THE MINUTE THE PRESIDENT SIGNED THE SUPPLEMENTAL, HE TURNED AND SIGNED A VERY SUBSTANTIAL DRAWDOWN PACKAGE THAT INCLUDES URGENTLY NEEDED ARTILLERY, MORE ARMORED VEHICLES, JAVELINS, STINGERS AND AIR DEFENSE INTERCEPTORS AMONG OTHER THINGS. THESE CAPABILITIES ARE GOING TO START WEAVING IMMEDIATELY TO MAKE UP FOR LOST TIME. AT THIS CRITICAL MOMENT, THIS IS A WAY TO SHOW IN DEED AS WELL AS IN WORD THE UNITED STATES STANDS WITH UKRAINE. AND DESPITE THE CHALLENGES I HAVE JUST DESCRIBED, I THINK IT IS VERY IMPORTANT FOR US TO UNDERSCORE AS WE LOOK AHEAD TO THE REST OF 2024, OUR VIEW IS UKRAINE RETAINS KEY ADVANTAGES IN THIS FIGHT. UKRAINE CAN AND WILL PREVAIL. THAT WILL BE THANKS TO THE BRAVERY OF ITS PEOPLE BUT ALSO THE SUPPORT OF ITS FRIENDS. FIRST, THE UKRAINIAN MILITARY REMAINS A RESILIENT, BRAVE AND EFFECTIVE FIGHTING FORCE. EVEN AS UKRAINIANS WAITED FOR U.S. SECURITY ASSISTANCE, THEY WERE ABLE TO IMPOSE SIGNIFICANT COST ON RUSSIA. SINCE THE START OF 2024, WE ESTIMATE UKRAINE HAS DESTROYED MORE THAN 700 RUSSIAN ARMORED VEHICLES AND ROUGHLY 250 RUSSIAN TANKS. RUSSIA MEANWHILE HAS HAD TO CONTINUE TO THROW IT SOLDIERS INTO THE FIGHT WITHOUT PROPER TRAINING AND EQUIPMENT. SECOND, OUR ALLIES AS THE PRESIDENT SAID THIS MORNING HAVE BEEN MOBILIZING IN SUPPORT UKRAINE ALONGSIDE US. JUST YESTERDAY, THE U.K. ANNOUNCED A SIGNIFICANT NEW PACKAGE OF MILITARY AID FOR UKRAINE ALONGSIDE MAJOR INVESTMENT SO THEY ARE MAKING IN THEIR DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE, PUTTING THEIR DEFENSE BUDGET ON A PATH TO REACH 2.5% OF THEIR GDP BY THE END OF THE DECADE. THE UNITED STATES WELCOMES THESE MOVES FROM A STALWART ALLY. GERMANY RECENTLY ANNOUNCED THE DONATION OF ANOTHER PATRIOT SYSTEM TO UKRAINE. THE CZECH GOVERNMENT HAS RAISED ENOUGH TO PURCHASE HALF A MILLION ARTILLERY SHELLS FOR UKRAINE WITH HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS MORE BEYOND THAT TO FOLLOW. ESTONIA ANNOUNCED ITS OWN AMBITIOUS EFFORT TO SECURE EVEN MORE ARTILLERY AND OTHER FORMS OF AMMUNITION FOR UKRAINE. THIRD, THE UNITED STATES IS BUILDING UP OUR CAPACITY TO SUPPORT UKRAINE. FOR EXAMPLE, WE ARE INVESTING IN OUR OWN DOMESTIC PRODUCTION OF 55 MILLIMETER ARTILLERY ROUNDS. SINCE THE PART OF THIS CONFLICT, WE HAVE MORE THAN DOUBLED OUR MONTHLY PRODUCTION OF 155. BY THE END OF THIS YEAR, WE WILL HAVE DOUBLED IT AGAIN. WE ARE GOING TO BE ABLE TO PROVIDE FROM OUR OWN PRODUCTION STEADY AND SIGNIFICANT SUPPLIES OF ARTILLERY TO UKRAINE. WE ARE ALSO PROVIDING UKRAINE WITH NEW CAPABILITIES. I AM ABLE TO CONFIRM AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM OTHERS IN FEBRUARY THE PRESIDENT DIRECTED HIS TEAM TO PROVIDE UKRAINE WITH A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF MISSILES FOR USE INSIDE UKRAINE'S SOVEREIGN TERRITORY. THAT SHIPMENT STARTED MOVING IN MARCH AS PART OF THE PDA THE PRESIDENT AUTHORIZED ON MARCH 12. THOSE MISSILES HAVE ARRIVED IN UKRAINE. THIS FOLLOWED RUSSIA'S USE OF NORTH KOREA'S BALLISTIC MISSILES AGAINST UKRAINE AS WELL AS RUSSIA'S RENEWED AND ESCALATING ATTACKS AGAINST CIVILIAN INFRASTRUCTURE IN UKRAINE. UNTIL RECENTLY, AS WE HAVE SAID ON MANY OCCASIONS, WE WERE UNABLE TO PROVIDE THESE BECAUSE OF READINESS CONCERNS. BEHIND THE SCENES, THE ADMINISTRATION ACROSS THE BOARD HAS WORKED TO ADDRESS THOSE CONCERNS. WE NOW HAVE A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER COMING OFF THE PRODUCTION LINE AND ENTERING U.S. STOCKS. AS A RESULT, WE CAN MOVE FORWARD WITH PROVIDING THEM WHILE ALSO SUSTAINING THE READINESS OF THE U.S. ARMED FORCES. THE PATH AHEAD WILL NOT BE EASY. RUSSIA IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO PRESS ATTACKS AGAINST UKRAINIAN DEFENSES, BUT FOR THE REASONS I HAVE LAID OUT, OVER TIME, WE ASSESS THE UKRAINIANS POSITION IN THIS CONFLICT WILL IMPROVE AND WE BELIEVE UKRAINE CAN AND WILL WIN. AS I'VE SAID FROM THIS PODIUM BEFORE, NO ONE IN THIS ROOM AND NO ONE ANYWHERE ELSE SHOULD UNDERESTIMATE THE UKRAINIAN PEOPLE AND NO ONE SHOULD UNDERESTIMATE PRESIDENT BIDEN'S RESOLVE AND THE AMERICAN PEOPLE'S RESOLVE AND THE BIPARTISAN MAJORITY IN THE HOUSE AND THE SENATE'S RESOLVE TO STAND WITH UKRAINE. I WOULD BE HAPPY TO TAKE YOUR QUESTIONS.
>> THANK YOU, JAKE. HOW BIG OF AN IMPACT WILL THE MISSILES HAVE ON THE BATTLEFIELD IN UKRAINE AND WILL THEY BE SENT TO UKRAINE AS PART OF THE $60 BILLION AID PACKAGE?
ADV. SULLIVAN: AS I SAID IN MY OPENING COMMENTS, WE HAVE SENT SOME. WE WILL SEND MORE. I'M NOT GOING TO GET INTO SPECIFIC NUMBERS FOR OPERATIONAL REASONS. AS I HAVE SAID BEFORE AT THIS PODIUM AND AS YOU HAVE HEARD FROM SECRETARY AUSTIN, THE CHAIRMAN AND OTHER SENIOR MILITARY OFFICIALS, THERE IS NO SILVER BULLET SHOULD ONE CAPABILITY IS NOT GOING TO BE THE ULTIMATE SOLUTION. IT IS AN AMALGAMATION OF COMMUNITIES -- OF CAPABILITIES THAT COME TOGETHER AND COMBINED WITH THE BRAVERY AND SKILL OF UKRAINE'S FIGHTERS THAT WILL MAKE THE DIFFERENCE IN THIS CONFLICT. WE THINK IT IS GOOD WE ARE ABLE TO PROVIDE THEM, THAT I DON'T EXPECT TO STAND BEFORE YOU AND SAY ONE CAPABILITY HAS BEEN THE SILVER BULLET.
>> ARE YOU WORRIED IT COULD PROVOKE RUSSIA? THEY HAVE SAID SENDING THESE LONG-RANGE MISSILES COULD BE CROSSING A REDLINE.
ADV. SULLIVAN: WHAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM THE RUSSIANS IS THEIR WILLINGNESS TO ACCEPT LONG-RANGE MISSILES FROM OTHER COUNTRIES, SPECIFICALLY NORTH KOREA. THEY HAVE USED THOSE ON THE BATTLEFIELD. THEY HAVE USED THEM TO ATTACK UKRAINE CIVILIANS AS WELL. FROM OUR PERSPECTIVE, NOW WE HAVE RESOLVED READINESS CONCERNS, AND ABLE TO STEP UP AND PROVIDE OUR OWN CAPABILITIES TO UKRAINE AS PARTNERS OF OURS HAVE, U.K., THE FRENCH AND OTHERS, WE THINK IT IS APPROPRIATE TO DO. WE THINK IT IS A GOOD CAPABILITY AT THIS PHASE ON IT A CONFLICT FOR UKRAINE. WE WILL STAND BEHIND THAT FOUR SQUARE.
>> ON ISRAEL, THEY HAVE MADE A NUMBER OF COMMITMENTS IN TERMS OF WHAT THEY NEED TO DO ON THE GROUND IN ORDER TO RECEIVE AID THEY ARE GETTING FROM THE UNITED STATES. WITH REPORTS WE HAVE SEEN FROM MASS GRAVES AT TWO MEDICAL FACILITIES IN GAZA THEY DESTROYED, IS THAT YOUR CURRENT VIEW THEY ARE LIVING UP TO THOSE COMMITMENTS?
ADV. SULLIVAN: THOSE REPORTS WERE DEEPLY DISTURBING. WE HAVE BEEN IN TOUCH AT MULTIPLE LEVELS WITH ISRAELI GOVERNMENT. WE WANT ANSWERS. WE WANT TO UNDERSTAND EXACTLY WHAT WITH THE ISRAELIS ON MANY LEVELS. YOU'VE SEEN SOME PUBLIC COMMENTARY FROM THE IDF ON THAT, BUT WE WANT TO KNOW THE SPECIFICS OF WHAT WE CIRCUMSTANCES ON THIS WORK, AND WE WANT TO SEE THIS THOROUGHLY INVESTIGATED. I CANNOT SPEAK BEYOND THAT, BECAUSE, OF COURSE, WE ARE IN THE EARLY DAYS OF UNDERSTANDING WHAT HAPPENED. WE HAVE A SERIES OF COMMITMENTS FROM THE ISRAELIS WITH HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE. THAT IS THE GONG SHOW? PRESIDENT BIDEN SPOKE WITH PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU A LITTLE MORE THAN TWO WEEKS AGO, AND IN THE TIME THAT HAS UNFOLDED SINCE THE CONVERSATION WITH PRIME MINISTER NETANYAHU, WE HAVE SEEN A MARKED INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE THAT HAS GONE INTO GAZA AND, IMPORTANTLY, A VERY SIGNIFICANT INCREASE IN THE AMOUNT OF ASSISTANCE GOING INTO NORTHERN GAZA, WHERE THE U.N. AND OTHERS HAVE TOLD US THE CHALLENGES OF MALNUTRITION AND POTENTIAL FAMINE ARE MOST ACUTE. WE THINK WE HAVE MADE A SIGNIFICANT SET OF STEPS FORWARD ON THIS, BUT IT NEEDS TO BE SUSTAINED, AND HE NEEDS TO BE INCREASED EVEN FURTHER. WE HAVE SEEN INITIAL MOVES THROUGH CROSSINGS IN THE NORTH, THESE ARE GOOD STEPS, BUT WE NEED TO SEE THAT EXPANDED, INSTITUTIONALIZED, AND ENSURE THAT ON A CITY BASIS, THE LEVEL AND INTENSITY AND SCOPE OF HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE MEETS THE NEED, AND WE ARE GOING TO STAY FOCUSED UNTIL WE ENSURE THAT THAT IS THE CASE.
>> THANKS, JAKE. WHAT KIND OF MECHANISMS DOES THE U.S. HAVE IN PLACE TO ENSURE THAT THESE LONG-RANGE ATTACK MISSILES WILL ONLY BE USED WITHIN UKRAINIAN TERRITORY AND WILL NOT BE FIRED INTO RUSSIAN TERRITORY? MR.
SULLIVAN: WELL, WE NOW HAVE AN EXTENDED PERIOD OF TIME WHERE WE HAVE TESTED THESE COMMITMENTS FROM THE UKRAINIAN GOVERNMENT, WHICH THEY HAVE MADE TO OTHERS AS WELL, WHERE THEY HAVE SAID WE WILL ONLY USE THESE ON UKRAINIAN SOVEREIGN TERRITORY, WE WILL NOT USE THEM BEYOND THE BORDER OF UKRAINE. THEY HAVE FOLLOWED THROUGH ON THAT COMMITMENT TIME AND TIME AGAIN WITH RESPECT TO THE SYSTEMS WE HAVE PROVIDED THEM. WE BELIEVE THEY WILL FOLLOW THROUGH ON THIS AS WELL.
>> AND REGARDING HAMAS, WE HAVE SEEN THIS VIDEO NOW, IS IT BECAUSE IT WAS INSISTING ON PROVIDE LIFE OR AS A PROPAGATION? MR.
SULLIVAN: WE HAVE INSISTED ON PROOF OF LIFE, SO THERE HAS BEEN NO CHANGE IN OUR POSITION ON PROOF OF LIFE, SO I CANNOT SPEAK TO WHAT CAUSED THEM TO RELEASE THE VIDEO AT THIS TIME. ALL I CAN SAY IS THIS IS AN INNOCENT YOUNG MAN BEING HELD HOSTAGE BY A TERRORIST ORGANIZATION, AND HE SHOULD BE RELEASED IMMEDIATELY, WITHOUT CONDITION AND WITHOUT DELAY. I HAVE NOT HAD THE PERSONAL OPPORTUNITY TO SPEAK WITH HIS PARENTS SINCE THE VIDEO WAS RELEASED. I DON'T WANT TO SPEAK FURTHER ON THIS BECAUSE OF THE SENSITIVITY OF THE ISSUE OTHER THAN TO SAY I WAS SITTING WITH THE PRESIDENT OF UNITED STATES GOING THROUGH ALL OF THE AMERICANS BEING HELD HOSTAGE IN WHAT WE CAN DO ABOUT THEM, WHAT THEIR STATUS IS. IT IS SOMETHING HE HAS PERSONALLY VERY FOCUSED ON, EVEN AS HE CELEBRATES ABIGAIL'S RELEASE. THIS IS SOMETHING THAT WILL BE A PARAMOUNT PRIORITY FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN AND THE UNITED STATES.
>> CAN USS HOW RECENT THIS VIDEO WAS MADE? DOES HE HAVE SOME SORT OF A DATE STAMP? CAN YOU PULL BACK THE CURTAIN ON ABIGAIL AND HER FAMILY, HOW IS SHE, HER SPIRITS, HER FAMILY, WHAT WAS THE MOMENT LIKE? MR.
SULLIVAN: THE MOMENT THAT WE GOT THE VIDEO THAT SHOWED HER, WE DID IT TO THE FBI HOSTAGE RECOVERY CELL. THOSE ARE THE EXPERTS WHO HAVE THE TECHNICAL CAPACITY TO LOOK AT THAT VIDEO AND DISCERN OR AT LEAST ASSESSED WITH AS MUCH SPECIFICITY THE ANSWERS TO YOUR QUESTIONS. I'M NOT GOING TO GET AHEAD OF THE ASSESSMENT TO MAKE ANY DISCUSSIONS ABOUT TIME, RECENCY, ETC. I WILL MAKE THOSE DISCUSSIONS, AND THEN WHEN WE HAVE SOMETHING PUBLIC, WE CAN SHARE IT WITH YOU. PRESIDENT BIDEN CAN SPEAK TO THIS HIMSELF, BECAUSE THIS WAS HIS MEETING, HIS OPPORTUNITY TO SEE ABIGAIL, TO SEE HER FAMILY, TO SEE HER SIBLINGS. ABIGAIL AND HER TWO SIBLINGS AND HER PARENTS WERE KILLED ON OCTOBER 7, SO THEY ARE STILL LIVING WITH THE TRAGEDY OF THAT. ABIGAIL, OF COURSE, IS LIVING WITH THE TRAUMA OF HAVING BEEN HELD CAPTIVE FOR MANY WEEKS. BUT THIS WAS A MOMENT OF JOY AS WELL, BECAUSE SHE WAS ABLE TO BE RETURNED SAFELY TO HER FAMILY. AND I THINK FOR THE PRESIDENT, THE MOST IMPORTANT THING WAS IT WAS A REMINDER OF THE WORK STILL TO DO AND HOW IMPORTANT IT WAS FOR HIM PERSONALLY AND THE GOVERNMENT TO DO ALL THAT WE CAN TO SECURE A CEASE-FIRE AND HOSTAGE DEAL, SO THAT EVERYBODY CAN COME HOME.
>> THIS BILL ALSO AUTHORIZES THE PRESIDENT TO EASE -- IS THAT SOMETHING HE IS PREPARED TO DO UNILATERALLY, OR WILL HE HAVE TO CONSULT WITH ALLIES BEFORE MAKING A DECISION?
MR. SULLIVAN: WELL, THE G7 HAS THAT COLLECTIVELY THAT RUSSIA'S ASSETS ARE GOING TO REMAIN IMMOBILIZED UNTIL THEY ARE PUT TO USE FOR RECOVERY IN UKRAINE. THE PRECISE WAY IN WHICH THAT HAPPENS, THE MECHANISM IS STILL BEING, IS STILL A MATTER OF CONSULTATION WITH OUR EUROPEAN PARTNERS. THE IDEAL IS THAT WE ALL MOVE TOGETHER, THAT EUROPE AND THE UNITED STATES, ESPECIALLY SINCE THE BULK OF ASSETS ARE HELD IN EUROPE, COME UP WITH A COMMON WAY FORWARD FOR HOW WE ENSURE THAT THESE SOVEREIGN ASSETS ACTUALLY GO TO WORK REBUILDING AND RECONSTRUCTING UKRAINE. I WILL NOT GO FURTHER THAN THAT TODAY, BECAUSE WE ARE IN THE MIDDLE OF INTENSE CONSULTATIONS WITH OUR EUROPEAN PARTNERS. I CAN TELL YOU THIS IS GOING TO BE AN IMPORTANT SUBJECT OF CONSULTATION AT THE GS SUMMIT IN JUNE, BUT I WILL LEAVE THAT FOR TODAY.
>> CAN YOU TALK ABOUT THE ROTH INVASION, WHAT IS THE LATEST ON THE ISRAELI INVASION, DO YOU EXPECT THEM TO HOLD OFF? MR.
SULLIVAN: I WOULD SAY THAT YOU HEAR A LOT OF DIFFERENT PUBLIC COMMENTS FROM DIFFERENT ISRAELI OFFICIALS, DIFFERENT MEDIA REPORTS, SOME ON THE RECORD, SOME OFF THE RECORD, SOME ON BACKGROUND CIRCLING DATES, STATING WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN DEFINITIVELY, CHANGING WHAT IS HAPPENING DEFINITIVELY. I AM ENTIRELY OUT OF THE BUSINESS AS COMMENTING, PREDICTING, OR REPRESENT EXACTLY WHAT ISRAEL WILL DO WHEN IT COMES TO RAFAH. THE U.S. POSITION HAS BEEN CLEAR, I STATED IT FROM THIS PODIUM, THE PRESIDENT HAS SPOKEN TO IT, AND WE HAVE HAD DETAILED DISCUSSIONS WITH THE ISRAELIS AS RECENTLY AS LAST WEEK BY SECURE VIDEO TO TALK THROUGH NOT JUST OUR CONCERNS BUT OUR VIEWS THAT THERE IS A DIFFERENT WAY TO GO ABOUT DEALING WITH THE HAMAS THREAT IN RAFAH, AND SUCCEEDING IN ENSURING THE LONG-TERM DEFENSE AND SECURITY OF ISRAEL, WE ARE STILL IN THOSE CONVERSATIONS AND WE WILL STILL CONTINUE TO PRESS OUR PERSPECTIVE. I WILL LEAVE IT AT THAT FOR TODAY, BECAUSE THAT CONVERSATION IT MIDSTREAM AND HAS NOT BEEN CONCLUDED.
>> NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS COULD LEAD TO A NATIONAL BAN. IN THE MEANTIME, IS IT SAFE FOR PRESIDENT BIDEN'S CAMPAIGN AND OTHER ENTITIES TO BE ON TIKTOK?
MR. SULLIVAN: I WILL LET CAMPAIGNS DECIDE FOR THEMSELVES WHAT TO DO. THE TERMS OF THE BILL ARE STRAIGHTFORWARD, TIKTOK CONTINUES TO OPERATE AS IT IS RIGHT NOW UNTIL SUCH TIME AS EITHER THERE IS A INVESTMENT OR THE TIME THAT YOU REFERRED TO ELAPSES. WHAT WE ARE FOCUSED ON WHEN LIMITING THE BILL IS WORKING THROUGH THAT INVESTMENT IN A WAY THAT IS CONSISTENT WITH THE INTENT OF THE LAW AND CONSISTENT WITH THE NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERNS THAT BROUGHT THE LAW INTO FORCE IN THE FIRST PLACE. .
>>>> CAN UKRAINIANS HAVE ANY CONFIDENCE THAT THIS FIGHT OVER MONEY IN CONGRESS WON'T REPEAT ITSELF NEXT YEAR? AND HAS WRITTEN PLANNED FOR THESE -- HAS PUTIN PLANNED FOR THESE SKIRMISHES IN THE U.S. CONGRESS AS HE CONTINUES?
MR. SULLIVAN: WELL, LOOK, I'VE SAID THIS BEFORE, AND MAYBE IT IS EVEN AN UNDERSTATEMENT TO SAY IT AGAIN THAT DEMOCRACY IS MESSY. THERE'S A LOT OF TO'ING AND FRO'ING, A LOT OF TWISTS AND TURNS. BUT WHAT THIS WEEKEND SHOWS IS THAT, DESPITE A LOT OF EFFORTS, INCLUDING THE RUSSIANS, TO REGARD A WAY TO NOT HAVE THIS BILL PASSED, IT HAS PASSED. I THINK THE MESSAGE THAT THAT THING IS THAT AT THE END OF THE DAY, WHEN PUSH COMES TO SHOVE, THE UNITED STATES WILL BE THERE WITH THE RESOURCES NECESSARY FOR UKRAINE. I BELIEVE THAT TODAY. I BELIEVED THAT ONE YEAR AGO, AND I BELIEVE THAT WILL BE TRUE ONE YEAR FROM NOW.
>> BECAUSE OF THE SIX-MONTH DELAY IN CONGRESS, HOW MUCH DID UKRAINE LOSE ON THE BATTLEFIELD AS A RESULT OF INACTION? SECONDLY, HOW LONG DOES THE U.S. EXPECT THIS $61 BILLION TO LAST BEFORE IT IS COMPLETELY WITHDRAWN? MR.
SULLIVAN: SO, YOU CAN MEASURE THE IMPACT IN DIFFERENT WAYS. WITH RESPECT TO ACTUAL TERRITORY, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT TAXABLE LOSSES IN THE EAST, NOT SOME FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURAL SHIFT IN THE UNDERLYING DYNAMIC OF THE CONFLICT. BUT YOU CAN ALSO MEASURE IT JUST IN TERMS OF THE WEAR AND TEAR IT PLACES ON A FRONTLINE UNIT, WHO HAVE TO RATION AMMUNITION BECAUSE THEY ARE NOT GETTING THE STUDY FLOWS. AND THAT IS A BIT MORE INCALCULABLE. THE PRESIDENT REFERRED IN HIS REMARKS EARLIER TODAY TO THE REPORTS OF UKRAINIAN TROOPS LITERALLY CHEERING IN THE TRENCHES, WATCHING ON THEIR PHONES AS THE HOUSE PASSED A BILL OVER THE WEEKEND. THAT GOES TO SHOW YOU HOW CLOSELY THEY ARE FOLLOWING THE U.S. CONGRESS, BECAUSE IT IS THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HAVING THEM THE TOOLS THEY NEED TO PUT UP THAT FIGHT EFFECTIVELY AND NOT HAVING THOSE TOOLS. SO OUR VIEW IS THAT THAT HAS CAUSED, OBVIOUSLY, SOME SIGNIFICANT WEAR AND TEAR ON THE FORCES AS WELL AS SOME TACTICAL LOSSES ON THE BATTLEFIELD AND HAS ALSO CREATED THE EXISTING PRESSURE THAT WE SEE EVEN TODAY WITH RUSSIAN UNITS PUSHING FORWARD IN PLACES THEY WERE NOT PREVIOUSLY PUSHING FORWARD. BUT WE ALSO BELIEVE, AS I LAID OUT, MAYBE INTO MUCH DETAIL FOR SOME OF YOU, THAT THERE ARE FUNDAMENTAL STRUCTURAL DRIVERS THAT FAVOR UKRAINE HERE. PART OF THAT IS WHAT THE U.S. INDUSTRIAL BASE CAN PRODUCE. PART OF IT IS WHAT THE EUROPEANS HAVE STEPPED UP TO DO IN REALLY SIGNIFICANT WAYS OVER THE COURSE OF THE LAST SIX MONTHS, AND WE ARE URGING THEM TO KEEP THAT GOING EVEN AS THE U.S. HAS DELIVERED $60 BILLION. PART OF THAT IS ABOUT UKRAINIAN CAPACITY ITSELF, AND THEN, OF COURSE, WE ARE ADDING NEW CAPABILITIES. SO YOU PUT ALL THAT TOGETHER, AND I THINK THE CALCULUS OF THE RUSSIANS OR THE CRITICS OF UKRAINE TO SAY "TIME IS ON RUSSIA'S INSIDE," THEY'VE GOT IT WRONG. WE BELIEVE FAVORING DEFENDING ITS OWN TERRITORY, WE BELIEVE OCCUPATION AND INVASION ZAPS THE WILL AND THE VITALITY OF A NATION OVER TIME, AND AS LONG AS UKRAINE GET THE TOOLS IT NEEDS, IT CAN DO SO EFFECTIVELY AND CAN WIN. WE HAVE NOW TAKEN A STEP FORWARD AND GIVEN AT THE TOOLS THAT IT NEEDS TO DEFEND ITSELF.
>> IS THERE ANY QUESTION ABOUT HOW LONG IT WILL LAST? HOW LONG UNTIL IT COMPLETELY CALMS DOWN? CAN IT LASTLY REST OF THIS YEAR? MR.
SULLIVAN: I DOING TO DISSIPATE THAT WITH THE AMOUNT OF RESOURCES WE HAVE RIGHT NOW, WE CAN CONTINUE TO SUPPLY UKRAINE WITH WHAT HE NEEDS THROUGH 2024.
>> THIS IS SATELLITE IMAGERY OF TENSE POPPING UP IN RAFAH AS WELL. CAN YOU SPEAK WHAT IT IS FOR FOUR IF IT IS RELATED TO ISRAEL'S POTENTIAL INVASION IN RAFAH,
MR. SULLIVAN: I'VE SEEN THE REPORTS -- EMINENTLY? MR.
SULLIVAN: I'VE SEEN THE REPORTS PAID I DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY REFER TO EXACTLY. NGOS ARE WORKING ON DISTRIBUTION POINT IN KHAN YOUNIS, NOW THAT MAJOR MILITARY OPERATIONS THERE HAVE ABATED. SO SETTING ASIDE THE QUESTION OF RAFAH FOR THE MOMENT, THERE WILL BE A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF ACTIVITY REGARDLESS, AS THERE CAN AND SHOULD BE IN GAZA CITY AS WELL, AS WE GET MORE AID TO THE NORTH. I CANNOT SPEAK SPECIFICALLY TO THESE REPORTS, HOW THEY RELATE TO ISRAEL'S FUTURE MILITARY OPERATION, BECAUSE I'VE ONLY SEEN THE KIND OF WRITTEN IN THE NEWSPAPER. I HAVE NOT YET SEEN EXACT WITH WHAT THEY ARE ARE REFERRING TO. BUT WE WILL STAY IN CLOSE TOUCH NOT JUST WITH THE ISRAELIS BUT WITH UNITED NATIONS. ON A DAILY BASIS, AT SENIOR LEVELS, WE ARE TALKING TO THE U.N. AS THEY TRY TO COORDINATE THE HUMANITARIAN ELEMENT OF THIS. AND, FRANKLY, FOR THOSE INNOCENT CIVILIANS WHO ARE NOT IN RAFAH,, THEY, TOO, NEED SHELTER, FOOD, IN ADDITION TO ENSURING THE SAFETY AND SECURITY OF THE PEOPLE IN RAFAH.
>> IS THERE ANYTHING PLANNED UPCOMING FOR THE CONVERSATION? MR.
SULLIVAN: WE HAD AN IN PERSON ONE PLANT THEM AND AS YOU ALL MAY HAVE NOTICED, THERE WAS A SERIES OF EVENTS RELATED TO ISRAEL OVER THE COURSE OF THE PAST TWO WEEKS THAT MADE IT DIFFICULT, FRANKLY, FOR ANYONE TO LEAVE THEIR DESKS. I COULD NOT LEAVE MY DESK, AND MY COUNTERPARTS IN ISRAEL COULD NOT LEAVE THEIR DESKS, BECAUSE WE WERE PUTTING TOGETHER A COALITION WILL DEFEND ISRAEL AGAINST AN UNPRECEDENTED IRANIAN ATTACK. I DO SUSPECT WE WILL GET TOGETHER FAIRLY SOON, BUT WE DON'T HAVE A DATE SET CIRCLED ON THE CALENDAR RIGHT NOW.
>> REGARDING STRUCTURAL DAMAGES IN UKRAINE, UKRAINE IS FACING A SEVERE TROOP SHORTAGE AT THE MOMENT. IS THERE ANYTHING IN THIS PACKAGE THAT WILL ADDRESS THE FACT THAT UKRAINE NEEDS MORE TROOPS ON THE FRONT LINE, AND IT IS STRUGGLING TO GET THE NUMBERS THEY NEED TO PROTECT THEM?
MR. SULLIVAN: THAT IS A VERY GOOD QUESTION. OBVIOUSLY THIS PACKAGE DOES NOT INCLUDE TROOPS. IT INTRUDES CAPABILITIES -- AND INCLUDES CAPE ABILITIES THE TROOPS WILL NEED, BUT UKRAINE WILL HAVE TO SUPPLY THE TROOPS. PRESIDENT BIDEN WAS ALSO WORKING WITH PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY TO TALK THROUGH HOW PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY WAS THINKING ABOUT THE ISSUE OF MOBILIZATION AND GETTING ENOUGH FORCES FORWARD TO THE FIGHT. AND AS YOU KNOW, JUST IN THE LAST TWO WEEKS, UKRAINE HAS PASSED THE NEW MOBILIZATION LAW AND ALSO THE NEW COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, GENERAL CC, HAD PUT IN PLACE ALONG WITH THE DEFENSE MINISTER A SERIES OF PROTOCOLS TO INCREASE THE NUMBER OF FORCES THAT ARE BEING LOCALIZED EACH MONTH SO THAT UKRAINE HAS THE MANPOWER INDIANS TO GO ALONG WITH THE CAPABILITIES IT IS NOW GETTING. WE ARE NOW GOING TO SEE THAT MONTH BY MONTH AS THEY IMPLEMENT THE NEW DIRECTIVES FROM THE MINISTER OF DEFENSE AND THE NEW COMMANDER OF THE UKRAINIAN ARMED FORCES.
>> THE NORTH KOREAN ENVOY HAS CONSISTENTLY BEEN TO IRAN, AND CONSIDERING THEY HAVE DRONES BASED IN THE CANE TO FIGHT AGAINST UKRAINIAN FORCES -- MR.
SULLIVAN: WELL, THE PRESIDENT TODAY MADE A COMMENT THAT I WILL JUST REPEAT, WHICH IS IT HAS BEEN SIX MONTHS SINCE WE WERE NOT ACTUALLY PASSING THE NECESSARY RESOURCES FOR UKRAINE. CLINTON WAS LOOKING FOR HIS FRIENDS -- PUTIN WAS LOOKING TOWARD HIS FRIENDS. HE WAS GETTING SUPPORT FOR THE RUSSIAN DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE FROM CHINA. THAT IS NOT LOST ON US. IT IS SOMETHING WE ARE DEALING WITH ON ALL THREE FRONTS, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT. YOU HEARD SECRETARY BLINKEN OBVIOUSLY, WHO IS NOW IN BEIJING, SPEAK TO OUR CONCERNS WITH RESPECT TO THE PRC AND IS SUPPORT FOR RUSSIA'S DEFENSE INDUSTRIAL BASE. WE HAVE BEEN VOCAL FROM THIS PODIUM ABOUT BOTH NORTH KOREA AND IRAN AND WILL CONTINUE TO BE.
>> IS REALLY GOVERNMENT OFFICIALS ARE SAYING THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS BACKED DOWN ON POSSIBLY SANCTIONING THE IDF. IS THERE ANYTHING UNDER CONSIDERATION, AND IF NOT, WHY NOT? MR.
SULLIVAN: THIS ONE, I'VE GOT TO REFER YOU TO THE STATE DEPARTMENT, BECAUSE THEY RUN A RIGOROUS DETAILED ANALYSIS OF WHAT IS CALLED THE LAHEY LAW WHICH LOOKS AT GROSS VIOLATIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS BY PARTICULAR UNITS. IT WOULD NOT BE APPROPRIATE FOR ME TO SPEAK ON THEIR BEHALF, SO THE STATE DEPARTMENT WOULD HAVE TO SPEAK TO THAT FEUD I WOULD ONLY POINT OUT THAT THE NOMENCLATURE OF SANCTIONS IS NOT ACCURATE. WHAT WE ARE TALKING ABOUT IS IF THE LADY LAW IS IMPLEMENTED, IT HAS IMPLICATIONS FOR HOW WE DO WITH A PARTICULAR UNIT, BUT IT IS NOT COME IN THE CLASSIC SENSE, A SANCTION. IT IS SOMETHING WELL KNOWN AND APPLIED IN MULTIPLE JURISDICTIONS AROUND THE WORLD, BUT THIS IS SOMETHING WE TAKE CARE TO SEPARATE FROM POLITICS, TO SEPARATE FROM INCISIONS TAKEN AT THE WHITE HOUSE. IT IS A STATE DEPARTMENT ANALYSIS WITH A STATE DEPARTMENT OUTCOME, AND THEY CAN SPEAK TO WHAT IS GOING TO HAPPEN AT THE TIME THEY ARE READY TO SPEAK DIRECTLY.
>> YOU SAID THAT A NUMBER OF STATE DEPARTMENT OFFICIALS, INCLUDING SOME RECENTLY DEPARTED FORMER OFFICIALS, HAVE TOLD MY COLLEAGUES AT THEIR UNDERSTANDING OF THE PRESIDENT'S USE ON ISRAEL, TO APPLYING THE LAHEY LAW, AS YOU JUST DESCRIBED, CAN YOU TELL US WHETHER THE PRESIDENT WOULD INTERVENE IN THAT STATE DEPARTMENT PROCESS, THAT YOU REFERRED TO, TO PREVENT THE LAHEY THE LADY AT LAW -- THE LEAHY LAW BEING PLACED ON ISRAEL ? MR.
SULLIVAN: IT IS MY STRONG BELIEF THAT WHOEVER YOU ARE REFERRING TO HAS NOT SAT IN A MEETING WITH ISRAEL AND ARE SPECULATING. THE STATE DEPARTMENT WILL MAKE THESE DISCUSSIONS. THEY WILL MAKE THEM IN AN ANALYSIS WHEN IT MAY BE APPROPRIATE AND THE QUESTIONS OF HOW THAT ALL PLAYS OUT IS BEST DIRECTED TO THEIR PURVIEW.
>> ON UKRAINE, NOW THAT THE UNITED STATES IS SENDING LONG-RANGE MISSILE SYSTEMS TO UKRAINE, DO YOU EXPECT GERMANY WILL FOLLOW WITH WEAPONS? MR.
SULLIVAN: I WOULD REFER YOU TO BERLIN ON THAT. YEAH.
>> A QUESTION ABOUT A POSSIBLE INVASION IN RUSSIA -- MR.
SULLIVAN: AND THE WHAT? I'M NOT SURE I UNDERSTAND WHAT YOU MEAN BY THAT. HE IS THE PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL. WE DEAL WITH WHOEVER IS SITTING IN THE CHAIR AS THE PRIME MINISTER OF ISRAEL, BECAUSE ULTIMATELY THE DECISIONS THAT ARE TAKEN ARE TAKEN UNDER LEADERSHIP OF HIS CABINET, SO WE WILL CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH THE PRIME MINISTER. THE PRESIDENT WELL. WE CONTINUE TO ENGAGE WITH HIS TEAM. IN AN EFFORT FOR THEM TO FULLY UNDERSTAND OUR PERSPECTIVE AND WHERE WE THINK THE RIGHT STEPS FORWARD ARE AND TO LISTEN TO THEM AS WELL. ULTIMATELY, THE PRESIDENT WILL MAKE HIS OWN DECISIONS ABOUT U.S. POLICY, CONSISTENT WITH U.S. INTERESTS AND VALUES.
>> -- WOULD BE PASSED TO IRAN TO DISCUSS NUCLEAR MISSILES, CROSS SPACE WITH IRAN, AND YOU KNOW THAT I RAN USED NORTH KOREAN MADE MISSILES IN AIRSTRIKES AGAINST ISRAEL. WHAT CATH DO YOU PREDICT BETWEEN NORTH KOREA, RUSSIA, THE MIDDLE EAST?EPISODICALLY MR.
SULLIVAN:, WE'VE SEEN VARIOUS LINKAGES AND DEFENSE COOPERATION BETWEEN NORTH KOREA AND IRAN. THAT HAS COME AND GONE. ADD ANDABIDAN FLOWED. -- EBBED AND FLOWED, WHAT IS DIFFERENT IF THEY COOPERATION BETWEEN NORTH KOREA AND RUSSIA WITH A MASSIVE PROVISION OF DRONES, MANY DIFFERENT CAPABILITIES, INCLUDING ARTILLERY, BALLISTIC MISSILES THAT GO QUITE A LONG RANGE, PACK A PUNCH COMMANDER BEING USED TO TERRORIZE CITIES ACROSS UKRAINE. AND WE BELIEVE THAT THIS IS A MATTER OF GRAVE CONCERN TO THE SECURITY OF EUROPE, WAY BEYOND THE BORDERS OF UKRAINE. AND COMING TO YOUR QUESTION, WE ARE ALSO CONCERNED ABOUT WHAT MAY HAPPEN IN THE OTHER DIRECTION, WHAT IS RUSSIA GOING TO PROVIDE TO NORTH KOREA OR IRAN THAT WILL DESTABILIZE THE INDO PACIFIC WAR THE MIDDLE EAST? THAT IS SOMETHING WE WILL WATCH CLOSELY.
>> THE WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN, A RECORD WERE KILLED, WHY IS THE PRESIDENT NOT GOING? MR.
SULLIVAN: THE PRESIDENT WILL HAVE A LETTER READ. THE PRESIDENT HAS HAD A LONG-STANDING PLAN TO GO TO THE FACILITY IN SYRACUSE. HE WILL CONTINUE WITHOUT CARE HE HAS SPOKEN DIRECTLY WITH CHEF JOSE ANDRES ABOUT THIS TRAGIC EVENT, AND, OF COURSE, IN THE IMMEDIATE AFTERMATH OF IT, HE PICKED UP THE PHONE AND CALLED BIBI, AND WHAT HE WAS SPEAKING ABOUT WITH RESPECT TO THE PROVISION AND HUMANITARIAN, BUT THE ADMIN ATTRITION WILL BE WELL REPRESENTED ON THAT EVENT.
>> TWO QUESTIONS. IRAN HAD A COLLECTION OF SANCTIONS ON IRAN, NAMELY HUMAN RIGHTS, DRONES, THERE DEALING WITH CHINA, THE OIL EXPERTS. WHAT IS THE ADMINISTRATION TRYING TO ACHIEVE WITH THESE SET OF SANCTIONS THAT IT IS NOT ALREADY ACHIEVED IN THE PAST THREE YEARS? MY SECOND QUESTION IS ABOUT THE NATIONAL SECURITY OF THE G20, AN INDEPENDENT PATH, WHICH THEY CALL FOR THE SUSPENSION OF U.S. ARMS TRANSFERS TO ISRAEL BECAUSE THEY ARE ACCUSING ISRAEL DEFENSE FORCES OF A SYSTEMATIC PATTERN OF WAR CRIMES. WHAT IS THE ADMINISTRATION SAY ABOUT THAT? MR.
SULLIVAN: SO, THE NATIONAL SECURITY MEMORANDUM 20, WHICH THE PRESIDENT SIGNED SOME WEEKS AGO, WE HAVE A REPORT THAT WILL BE SET SEND UP TO THE CONGRESS IN EARLY MAY. THAT REPORT WILL ANALYZE THE ELEMENTS, AND WE WILL PRESENT THE FINDINGS OF THAT TO ALL OF YOU AS WELL. I'M NOT GOING TO GET AHEAD OF THAT REPORT. I THINK WE WILL LET THEM WORK THROUGH RIGOROUSLY THE ANALYSIS, WHICH WILL BE DONE ON AN INTERAGENCY BASIS BY THE U.S. GOVERNMENT. YOUR FIRST QUESTION WAS ABOUT IRAN SANCTIONS. THE MOMENT WE ARE IN RIGHT NOW IS QUITE DIFFERENT FROM WHERE WE WERE A FEW WEEKS AGO. YOU'VE ACTUALLY HAD THE G7 CANNOT TOGETHER AND SAY WE NEED TO OPPOSE ADDITIONAL ECONOMIC MEASURES, ADDITIONAL PRESSURE ON IRAN FOR THIS BRAZEN AN UNPRECEDENTED ATTACK ON ISRAEL WITH MORE THAN 300 MISSILES AND DRONES FIRED AT ISRAELI TERRITORY. THE EU HAS MOVED, THE U.K. HAS MOVED SOME OF THE UNITED STATES HAS MOVED, AND WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE, THE EXTRA PRESSURES WE CAN PLACE AND THE TYPE OF ISOLATION WE CAN GENERATE WITH RESPECT TO IRAN, WHICH IS ACTING IN WAYS THEY ARE FUNDAMENTALLY DESTABILIZING THE MIDDLE EAST. I WILL TAKE ONE LAST QUESTION.
>> I HEARD YOU DID NOT GO TO SAUDI ARABIA PETE I HOPE YOU'RE FEELING BETTER, BY THE WAY.
MR. SULLIVAN: THANK YOU. >>
>> IS THAT BEING RESCHEDULED? AND CAN YOU GIVE US AN UPDATE ON THE NORMALIZATION TALKS BETWEEN SAUDI ARABIA AND ISRAEL? MR.
SULLIVAN: I DO EXPECT TO GET TO SAUDI ARABIA IN A FEW WEEKS, THINGS HAVE BEEN IN FLUX, BUT WE WILL GET IT BACK ON THE CALENDAR. THANK YOU FOR YOUR CONCERN COULD I DO FEEL QUITE A BIT BETTER. BUT AS ANY OF YOU HAVE CRACKED A RIB KNOW, IT TAKES A LONG TIME. CALL ME AT 80% RIGHT NOW. MEANWHILE, I'M PHYSICALLY DETERIORATING IN ALL OTHER WAYS. [LAUGHTER] BUT THAT IS A MATTER FOR ANOTHER TIME. IN TERMS OF WHERE WE ARE, NORMALIZATION TALKS, I REALLY WANT TO HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIT WITH THE SENIOR SAUDI LEADERSHIP, GET THEIR PERSPECTIVE IN PERSON. . I WOULD BE HAPPY TO REPORT BACK TO YOU AFTER THAT. IT IS SOMETHING WE WANT TO CONTINUE TO WORK ON, ALTHOUGH EVERY WEEK OR SO, I READ A NEWS STORY ABOUT HOW THERE'S A NEW INITIATIVE, A DIFFERENT INITIATIVE, YOU KNOW, THIS IS STEADY, CONSISTENT DIPLOMACY, AIMING AT AN IN POINT THAT WE HAVE BEEN QUITE CLEAR ABOUT, BUT THERE HAVE NOT BEEN ANY KIND OF DRAMATIC DEVELOPERS OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS. IT IS SOMETHING WE CONTINUE TO LOOK AT IT WE WILL TALK WITH THE SALARYS, WE WILL SEE WHERE WE ARE -- THE SAUDIS, WE WILL SEE WHERE WE ARE, AND OBVIOUSLY WE WILL TALK WITH THE ISRAELIS AS WELL TO IT WITH THAT, I WILL TURN IT OVER TO KARINE. THANK YOU.
>> THANK YOU. >>S
>>SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: ALL RIGHT, THANKS, EVERYBODY. THANKS, JAKE. I DO HAVE SOMETHING AT THE TOP FOR ALL OF YOU COME AND THEN WE CAN GET INTO Q&A. OVER THE LAST FEW DAYS, OUR ADMINISTRATION TOOK SEVERAL STEPS TO PROTECT WORKERS AND CONSUMERS. THE FTC BANS NONCOMPETE AGREEMENTS, WHICH CURRENTLY KEEP 30 MILLION WORKERS NEARLY ONE IN FIVE, FROM CHANGING JOBS. THIS ROLE WILL INCREASE WAGES BY $400 BILLION OVER THE NEXT TWO YEARS. -- 10 YEARS. THE NETWORK EXTENDS OVER TIME PROTECTIONS TO MILLIONS OF WORKERS, AS THE PRESIDENT PUT IT, IF YOU WORK EXTRA HOURS, YOU DESERVE EXTRA PAY. THE LATEST THE LABOR DEPARTMENT IS ALSO PROTECTING RETIREMENTS CARRIED BY REQUIRING FINANCIAL ADVISORS TO ACT IN THE SAV ERS' BEST INTEREST OF ANOTHER OWN KID THIS WILL SAVE MILLIONS OF AMERICANS THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS FOR THEIR RETIREMENT ACCOUNTS. THE TRANSPORTATION DEPARTMENT IS GETTING THE CONSUMER TO GET WHAT THEY THEY ARE OWED BY REQUIRING AIRLINES TO GIVE CASH REFUNDS WHEN FLIGHTS ARE CANCELED, SIGNIFICANT CHANGED, CHECKED BAGS ARE SIGNIFICANT DELAYED, OR SERVICES LIKE WI-FI ARE NOT PROVIDED. THE TRANSPORTATION APARTMENT IS ALSO CRACKING DOWN ON SURPRISE FEES BY REQUIRING AIRLINES TO TELL CONSUMERS UPFRONT WHAT THEY ARE BEING CHARGED FOR, CHECKED BAGS, CARRY-ON BAGS, AND CHANGING OR CANCELING A RESERVATION. THESE ARE JUST THE LATEST PARTS OF PRESIDENT BIDEN'S AGENDA TO PROTECT WORKERS AND LOWER COSTS. THE PRESIDENT IS BUILDING AN ECONOMY THAT LIFTS UP WORKING AMERICANS AND MIDDLE-CLASS FAMILIES. WITH THAT, COLLEEN?
COLLEEN: THE BACKLASH IS GROWING AT MOREHOUSE COLLEGE OVER THE PRESIDENT POSE THE UPCOMING DRAFT. I WONDER HOW THE PRESIDENT IS GOING TO MANAGE THE CONCERNS AS IT GOES ON? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: SO WE KNOW IT IS AN INCREDIBLY PAINFUL TIME FOR MANY COMMUNITIES. YOU HEAR US SAY THAT OFTEN. YOU HAVE HEARD US MENTION THE PRESIDENT MEETING WAS DIFFERENT COMMUNITY LEADERS AND COMMUNITY MEMBERS, OBVIOUSLY, FROM THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES, DIFFERENT GROUPS, TO BE MORE PRECISE, MUSLIM AMERICANS, PALESTINIAN AMERICANS, TO HAVE THOSE HONEST CONVERSATIONS, AND YOU'VE HEARD THE WHITE HOUSE, YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THE WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALS HAVING REGULAR, ONGOING MEETINGS WITH THESE DIFFERENT GROUPS. AS IT RELATES TO COMMENCEMENT, THEY ARE ABOUT THE GRADUATES, RIGHT? THEY ARE ABOUT THEIR FAMILIES, IT IS ABOUT THE LOVED ONES, IT IS ABOUT CELEBRATING ACCOMPLISHMENTS AMANDA PRESIDENT IS CERTAINLY LOOKING FORWARD TO DOING THAT. HE'S GOING TO DO THAT AT MOREHOUSE, HE WILL DO THAT AT WEST POINT, WHERE HE'S GOING TO BE THANKING THEM FOR THEIR SERVICE AND DEFENDING, OBVIOUSLY FOR DEFENDING OUR NATION. THE PRESIDENT IS LOOKING FORWARD TO BEING PART OF THAT. HE HAS ALWAYS, THIS IS NOT THE FIRST TIME THAT HE HAS GIVEN COMMENCEMENT SPEECHES PETE I UNDERSTAND THIS IS A DIFFERENT MOMENT IN TIME THAT WE ARE IN, BUT HE ALWAYS TAKES THIS MOMENT AS A SPECIAL TIME TO DELIVER MESSAGES, AND ENCOURAGING MESSAGE, OF HOKUM UPLIFTING, TO THE GRADUATES AND THEIR FAMILIES COME AND WE WILL HAVE THESE CONVERSATIONS THAT I JUST MENTIONED WITH THE DIFFERENT COMMUNITIES ABOUT WHAT IS HAPPENING RIGHT NOW. WE GET IT. IT IS PAINFUL TO WE GET THAT. WE UNDERSTAND THAT. .
>> IS THERE CONCERN ABOUT VIOLENCE AT MOREHOUSE? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: I'M NOT GOING TO SPECULATE OR GO INTO HYPOTHETICALS. THE PRESIDENT IS LOOKING FORWARD TO THESE UPCOMING COMMENCEMENT, MOREHOUSE AND THE UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY NEXT MONTH, AND HE HAS DONE THESE MANY TIMES BEFORE, UNDERSTANDING THE IMPORTANT MOMENT AND HOW SPECIAL THAT MOMENT IS FOR THE GRADUATES AND THEIR FAMILIES, AND HE IS GOING TO DO HIS BEST TO ME THAT MOMENT AS IT RELATES TO WHAT IS GOING ON, THE PAIN THAT COMMUNITIES ARE FEELING, WE WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE A CONVERSATION AND BEAT SENSITIVE TO THAT, UNDERSTANDING WHAT PEOPLE ARE GOING THROUGH.
>> IS IT THE GOAL THAT FEDERAL LAW TRUMPS STATE LAW OVER THE ABORTION BAN THERE? I WONDER HOW WAS IT A MAJOR PART OF THE ADMINISTRATION'S EFFORT TO PROTECT WOMEN, GIVE ADDITIONAL HEALTH CARE TO WOMEN. IF THAT IS ON THE CHOPPING BLOCK, WHAT ELSE? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: I'M GOING TO BE CAREFUL, BECAUSE IT IS ONGOING. PARTS OF THIS, ESPECIALLY BECAUSE IT IS ONGOING LEGISLATION, I WOULD HAVE TO DIRECT TO TO THE DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE. THE ADMINISTRATION IS CERTAINLY GOING TO DEFEND WOMEN'S ABILITY TO ACCESS EMERGENCY CARE. THEY SHOULD HAVE UNDER FEDERAL LAW. THAT IS A COMMITMENT THAT THE ADMINISTRATION IS GOING TO CONTINUE TO ENSURE AND SO WE ARE GOING TO STAY FOCUSED ON THAT. WE ARE GOING TO LET THE LITIGATION PROCESS CONTINUE, SO IT IS NOT GOING TO GET BEYOND THAT, BUT MORE BROADLY, WE BELIEVE THAT WOMEN SHOULD NOT BE DENIED THE ACCESS TO HEALTH CARE THAT THEY NEED. WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR IN THE BIDEN-HARRIS ADMINISTRATION ABOUT HOW IMPORTANT IT IS THAT WOMEN GET THAT EMERGENCY CARE. WE ARE TALKING ABOUT LIVES, WOMEN'S LIVES HERE, AND TO BE ABLE TO MAKE THOSE ALL IMPORTANT DECISIONS ON THEIR HEALTH CARE. WE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT ABOUT THAT. WE WILL CONTINUE THAT FIGHT, AND WE REMAIN FOCUSED ON ENSURING THAT WE PREVAILED IN THE COURTS. THAT IS OUR COMMITMENT TO WOMEN.
>> THANKS, KARINE. THE HOUSE SPEAKER IS CALLING ON THE PRESIDENT OF COLUMBIA TO RESIGN. DOES THE PRESIDENT SHARE THAT VIEW? WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE WAY THE ADMINISTRATION AT COLUMBIA HAS HANDLED THINGS?
SEC. JEAN-PIERRE: COLUMBIA IS A PRIVATE INSTITUTION. WE HAVE BEEN VERY CONSISTENT HEAR ABOUT NOT COMMENTING ON PERSONNEL MATTERS. THAT IS SOMETHING FOR THE COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY BOARD AND THE PRESIDENT TO DECIDE. OBVIOUSLY IT IS THE SPEAKER PELOSI PRIVILEGE TO SPEAK FOR HIMSELF AND WHAT HE SEES. SO, LOOK, I WOULD SAY MORE BROADLY, AND THIS IS A DEEPLY PAINFUL MOMENT FOR MANY COMMUNITIES, AND WE UNDERSTAND THAT, BUT THE PRESIDENT BELIEVES THAT FREE SPEECH DEBATE AND NONDISCRIMINATION ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES ARE IMPORTANT. THEY ARE IMPORTANT AMERICAN VALUES, AND SO HE WILL ALWAYS BE VERY CLEAR KID WE WILL ALWAYS BE VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT HERE. BUT, YOU KNOW, PROTESTS MUST BE PRIEST PHONE -- MUST BE PEACEFUL. STUDENTS MUST BE SAFE. WHEN WE SEE VIOLENT RHETORIC, WE MUST CALL THAT OUT HERE WE SEE THEM AS RATIONS OR GROTESQUE ANTI-SEMITIC REMARKS, WE HAVE TO CALL THAT OUT. YOU SAW THAT IN THE PRESIDENT'S STATEMENT ON PASSOVER. HE TALKED ABOUT THAT COMING HE TALKED ABOUT TAKING ACTION AND MAKING SURE THAT WE ARE CALLING THAT OUTPUT WE WILL CONDUCE DUE -- OUT. WE WILL CONTINUE TO DO THAT HERE WE ARE IMPLEMENT INCOME AS YOU KNOW, THE FIRST-EVER NATIONAL STRATEGIC EFFORT TO COUNTER ANTISEMITISM, BECAUSE THERE SHOULD BE NO PLACE IN THIS COUNTRY, WHEN IT RELATES TO THE TYPE OF HATE. WE SAW WHAT HAPPENED IN 2017, CHARLOTTESVILLE. THAT IS ONE OF THE REASONS THAT THIS PRESIDENT DECIDED TO RUN IN 2020, HE RAN IN 2020 BECAUSE OF WHAT HE'S ALL IN CHARLOTTESVILLE AND WHAT WAS HAPPENING IN THE STREETS OF CHARLOTTESVILLE, THE VILE, JUST HATEFUL RHETORIC THAT WE WERE SEEING THERE. SO I THINK COLUMBIA IS GOING TO HAVE TO SPEAK TO THEIR PERSONNEL ISSUES, AND WHAT WE WILL SPEAK TO IS MORE BROADLY WHAT WE EXPECT AND WHAT WE WANT TO SEE AND HOW PAINFUL IT IS.
>> NOW WITH TIKTOK, NOW THAT THE PRESIDENT HAS SIGNED THE BILL, DOES THE WHITE HOUSE HAVE ANY PREFERENCE AND TO WHETHER TIKTOK IS SOLD AND REMAINS OPERATIONAL IN THE U.S., OR ARE YOU INDIFFERENT ABOUT WHETHER IT GETS BANNED?
SEC. JEAN-PIERRE: WELL, FIRST OF ALL, WE HAVE BEEN CLEAR, MEMBERS OF CONGRESS HAVE BEEN CLEAR WE DO NOT WANT TO SEE A BAND. THIS IS NOT ABOUT A VAN, THIS IS ABOUT THE VESTMENT. THIS IS ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY, NOT CONCERNS ABOUT AMERICANS USING TIKTOK. THIS IS ABOUT P.R.C. OWNERSHIP, RIGHT? THIS IS ABOUT THE CONTROL OF TIKTOK. WE WANT TO BE SUPER CLEAR, AND THAT IS WHAT MEMBERS OF CONGRESS WILL MOVE FORWARD WITH YOUR THAT IS WHAT WE SUPPORTED HIT WE WANT TO SEE A DIVESTMENT. WE WANT TO SEE IT BEING SOLD, AND WE DO NOT SEEK A BAN. THAT IS NOT WHAT THIS BILL IS ABOUT.
>> IT IS NOT ABOUT A BAND, BUT THE REALITY IS, IT WILL BE DIFFICULT, THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT ALSO COULD INTERVENE AND BLOCK A SALE. SO IF IT CAME TO IT, WHAT THE ADMINISTRATION THEN SUPPORT A BAN? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: AS IT RELATES TO CHINA, THEY SHOULD ALLOW IT, RIGHT? THEY SHOULD ALLOW IT TO BE SOLD. THAT IS WHAT I WILL SAY THERE. AS IT RELATES TO THE BILL, THE LAW, THERE IS TIME. WE HAVE TO SEE HOW IT PLAYS OUT. WE BELIEVE IT IS POSSIBLE. THERE ARE ALREADY AMERICAN INVESTORS WHO ARE WILLING AND ARE INTERESTED IN BUYING TIKTOK, SO THE INTEREST IS THERE. IT IS NOT LIKE THERE IS NOT ANY. THERE CERTAINLY TIME ON THE BOOKS TO SEE HOW THIS PLAYS OUT. WE DO NOT, THIS IS NOT A BAN, AGAIN, THIS IS ABOUT THE VESTMENT, AND THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. YOU ALL HAVE REPORTED ON A, THERE ARE REPORTS OUT THERE, THERE'S A NUMBER OF INTERESTED BUYERS, A NUMBER OF THEM. YOU GUYS HAVE REPORTED ON THAT I DON'T HAVE A LIST TO SHARE AND WE ARE GOING TO LET THAT PROCESS PLAY OUT, BUT IT HAS BEEN REPORTED BY ALL OF YOU.
>> WHAT IS THE PRESIDENT'S PERSONAL REACTION TO WHAT YOU SEE PLAYING OUT? THE MESSAGE TO ISRAEL, PEOPLE PEACEFULLY PROTESTING, YOU KNOW, ALL TYPES OF THINGS. SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: I THINK THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR. HE PUT OUT A STATEMENT. IN HIS PASSOVER STATEMENT, HE TALKED ABOUT, WE CANNOT BE SILENT HERE. SILENT IS COMPLICIT. AND WE CAN'T ALLOW THAT. WE BELIEVED IN FIRST OF THEM IT WRITES, RIGHT? -- FIRST AMENDMENT RIGHTS, RIGHT? WE BELIEVE IN PEOPLE BEING ABLE TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES IN A PEACEFUL MANNER COME ABOUT WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT HATEFUL RHETORIC, WHEN WE ARE TALKING ABOUT VIOLENCE, WE HAVE TO CALL THAT OUT. WE HAVE BEEN CONSISTENT ABOUT IT. THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN CONSISTENT ABOUT IT, OBVIOUSLY SINCE 2017, BUT EVEN BEFORE THAT , WE HAVE TO CALL OUT HATEFUL, VIOLENT RHETORIC, BUT WE HAVE TO MAKE SURE PEOPLE HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST.
>> ON THAT SUBJECT, PRESIDENT BIDEN ONCE TALKED ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR PROTEST THAT WAS USED FOR HE SAID THE REASON HE DID NOT PARTICIPATE WAS BECAUSE I AM WHO I AM, I'M NOT BIG ON FLAK JACKETS AND HAWKEYE INSURANCE. IS THAT STILL HIS VIEW ABOUT PROTEST MOVEMENTS, OR DO WE SEE THEM AS USEFUL IN SHAPING POLICY OR SHAPING -- SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: LOOK, WHEN THE PRESIDENT WAS TALKING ABOUT THE VIETNAM WAR, THAT WAS A MOMENT IN TIME, SPECIFIC, YOU KNOW, WHEN HE WAS YOUNGER AND HOW HE FELT ABOUT THAT SITUATION, AND AS PRESIDENT, YOU KNOW, AS COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF, WHERE HE SITS RIGHT NOW BEHIND THAT RESOLUTE DESK, HE UNDERSTANDS THAT AS A LEADER IN THIS COUNTRY, WHEN WE SEE THIS TYPE OF ANTI-SEMITIC HATE, THIS TYPE OF ANTI-SEMITIC VILE, WE HAVE TO BE VERY CLEAR, WE HAVE TO SHOW MORAL CLARITY, WE HAVE TO CALL THAT OUT. I SAID THAT AT THE BEGINNING, STUDENTS SHOULD FEEL SAFE, COMMUNITIES SHOULD FEEL SAFE, AND WE CANNOT STAY SILENT. OBVIOUSLY IT IS A PAINFUL MOMENT. HE UNDERSTANDS THAT. HE WILL ALWAYS BELIEVE IN FREE SPEECH AND DEBATE AND NOT DISCRIMINATION ON COLLEGE CAMPUSES, AS I SAID WAS AGO. BUT WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO DO THIS AND PROTEST IN A PEACEFUL WAY. I DON'T THINK THAT TAKES AWAY FROM THE COMMENT THAT YOU JUST MADE, THAT YOU JUST GAVE BACK TO ME THAT THE PRESIDENT MADE. I DO NOT THINK THAT IS ANY DIFFERENT THAN WHAT THE PRESIDENT IS SAYING RIGHT NOW, RIGHT? YOU HAVE TO BE ABLE TO PEACEFULLY PROTEST, BUT YOU'VE GOT TO CALL OUT HATE.
>> AND THEN ON TIKTOK, IS THERE ANY EXPECTATION THAT CHINA COULD RETALIATE AGAINST U.S. COMPANIES THAT ARE OPERATING THERE? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: I CANNOT SPEAK FOR THE CHINESE GOVERNMENT. THAT IS A HYPOTHETICAL. I CANNOT SPEAK TO THAT. I CANNOT SPEAK TO THIS LAW, AND THE IMPORTANCE OF MAKING SURE THAT WE MOVE FORWARD WITH THAT DIVESTMENT OF TIKTOK, WE ARE TALKING ABOUT NATIONAL SECURITY, MAKING SURE WE ARE PROTECTING AMERICANS PRIVACY, AND THAT IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. WE ARE NOT TALKING ABOUT AMERICANS USING TIKTOK. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE LOOKING AT HERE. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THERE IS A DIVESTMENT, THAT, YOU KNOW, TIKTOK SHOULD NOT BE OWNED OR AMERICANS SHOULD NOT BE HAVING TO WORRY ABOUT USING A PLATFORM THAT IS OWNED BY A COUNTRY THAT IS TRYING TO HARM US. THAT IS THE NATIONAL SECURITY CONCERN HERE.
>> IS THIS GOING TO BE A CONSTITUTIONAL CHALLENGE? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: THAT IS SOMETHING THAT OBVIOUSLY DOJ WILL BE AWARE OF. I CANNOT SPEAK TO CHALLENGES.
>> WE ARE SEEING SOME OF THESE ON-CAMPUS PROTESTS REALLY HEIGHTEN TENSIONS AND ESCALATIONS ACROSS THE COUNTRY, NOT JUST AT COLUMBIA BUT OTHER UNIVERSITIES, USC AND IN CALIFORNIA. IS THERE ANY CONCERN ABOUT HOW LAW ENFORCEMENT HANDLING THESE?
SEC. JEAN-PIERRE: I MEAN, LOOKE, I CANNOT SPEAK TO WHAT IS GOING ON ON THE GROUND. UT, WHAT IS HAPPENING IS HAPPENING NOW, SO I HAVE NO IDEA HOW THAT IS BEING DEALT ON THE GROUND. BUT, LOOK, WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR PIT WE WANT TO SEE THIS BEING PEACEFUL. WE UNDERSTAND IT IS CONCERNING. IT IS IMPORTANT THAT COMMUNITIES FEEL SAFE AND IMPORTANT THAT COMMUNITIES FEEL STUDENTS FEEL SAFE. THAT IS WHAT WE WANT TO SEE. IT SHOULD NOT BE VIOLENT. IT SHOULD NOT BE HATEFUL RHETORIC HERE, AND THAT IS WHAT WE WILL KEEP SAYING, AND WE WILL LET THE UNIVERSITIES HANDLE THE PROCESS ON HOW THEY ARE DOING ON THE GROUND.
>> IF I COULD GO BACK TO UKRAINE FOR JUST A MOMENT, PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY SAID HE AND PRESIDENT BIDEN DISCUSSED THE GLOBAL SUMMIT COMING UP SOON. WHAT IS THE WHITE HOUSE VIEW AT THIS POINT ON WHAT THE SUMMIT CAN ACHIEVE? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: NOTHING TO SHARE WITH YOU ON THE PRESIDENT'S SCHEDULE. OBVIOUSLY IT IS AN IMPORTANT CONVERSATION THAT UKRAINE SHOULD BE PART OF. WE HAVE ALWAYS BEEN VERY CLEAR ABOUT THAT. . I DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE BEYOND THAT. I THINK, YOU KNOW, THIS IS SOMETHING THAT THE PRESIDENT OF UKRAINE, OBVIOUSLY PRESIDENT ZELENSKYY NEEDS TO LEAD ON. I JUST DON'T HAVE ANYTHING TO SHARE. OBVIOUSLY WE HAVE SHARED OUR COMMITMENT TO UKRAINE, AGAINST RUSSIA'S AGGRESSION COULD WE HAVE BEEN PRETTY CONSISTENT ABOUT THAT. AND WE BELIEVE WE NEED TO DO EVERYTHING WE CAN TO MAKE SURE THEY HAVE WHAT THEY NEED TO FIGHT FOR THEIR DEMOCRACY, TO FIGHT THEIR FREEDOM, AND WE BELIEVE THAT THEY WILL PREVAIL GET I WILL NOT GET AHEAD OF A POTENTIAL SUMMIT.
>> TWO QUESTIONS. FIRST, THE PRESIDENT EXPRESSED SOME REGRET ABOUT THE BORDER SECURITY BILL NOT BEING PART OF THE GOVERNMENTAL, BUT HE ALSO SAID HE WILL ADDRESS THAT AT ANOTHER TIME. DO YOU HAVE ANY UPDATE? SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: I ALSO THINK MITCH MCCONNELL MADE A STATEMENT ABOUT IT AS WELL PIT I WOULD CERTAINLY POINT YOU TO WHAT HE SAID ABOUT THE BORDER SECURITY BILL. I THINK THAT IS IMPORTANT, RIGHT? BECAUSE IT IS A BIPARTISAN EFFORT, AND WE NEED BOTH SIDES. THE PRESIDENT HAS BEEN VERY CLEAR COULD WE NEED THAT BIPARTISAN BORDER SECURITY BILL, THE NEGOTIATION THAT CAME TOGETHER ON THAT, AND WE NEED TO MOVE FORWARD WITH IT HIDDEN CAME OUT FROM THE SENATE. WE HEARD BACK FROM THE FORMER PRESIDENT WHO SAID DON'T MOVE FORWARD, TOLD REPUBLICANS TO REJECT IT. THEY DID. THAT IS UNFORTUNATE, BECAUSE IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE TOUGHEST ON IT WOULD HAVE BEEN THE FAIREST, HAD THE PRESIDENT HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO SIGNED INTO LAW, YOU KNOW, IT WOULD HAVE ADDRESSED A LOT OF THE CONCERNS THAT REPUBLICANS HAVE THAT WE ARE SEEING, THE CHALLENGES THAT WE ARE SEEING AT THE BORDER. I MEAN, WE HAD AN OPPORTUNITY. YOU ALL LISTENED TO THE PRESIDENT, RIGHT? HE WILL TAKE THAT OPPORTUNITY TO SAY WE WILL CONTINUE TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THE BORDER SECURITY NEGOTIATION OR THE PLAN THAT CAME OUT OF THE NEGOTIATION, BUT HE WANTS TO SEE THAT. IT IS A CONCERN THAT THE MAJORITY OF AMERICANS HAVE, SO WE WANT TO SEE THAT MOVE FORWARD, AND I THINK MITCH MCCONNELL SPOKE FOR HIMSELF.
>> CAN WE INTERPRET HIM SAYING HE IS GOING TO COME BACK TO IT, HE WILL DO SOMETHING CITED ACTION?
SEC. JEAN-PIERRE: WELL, LOOK, WE HAVE BEEN VERY CLEAR. NO EXECUTIVE ACTION IS GOING TO DO WHAT THAT BORDER SECURITY PLAN WOULD HAVE DONE, RIGHT? WE BELIEVE THAT WAS A COME IN ORDER TO MOVE FORWARD, TO DEAL WITH THE CHALLENGES AT THE BORDER COMING TO DEAL WITH WHAT WE HAVE BEEN SEEING WITH IMMIGRATION, A BROKEN IMMIGRATION SYSTEM THAT WE HAVE SEEN FOR DECADES, THAT IS THE WAY TO MOVE FORWARD. OBVIOUSLY, WE WILL LOOK AT OUR OPTIONS, BUT WE BELIEVE THERE IS STILL AN OPPORTUNITY HERE, AND I THINK LEADER MCCONNELL WAS PRETTY CLEAR ABOUT THAT, TOO, TODAY. GO AHEAD.
>> THE PRESIDENT SAID IN 2017, UNDER PRESIDENT TRUMP, IF PRESIDENT BIDEN IS ELECTED COME IT WOULD BE DEAD AND GONE FOREVER. THAT INCLUDED TAX CUTS ACROSS THE BOARD, THE TAX RATE OF VARIOUS LEVELS OF INCOME. THE PRESIDENT SAYING HE WOULD GIVE IT THE ENTIRE TAX BILL AND NOT ALLOW THE TAX CREDIT -- SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: I THINK THE PRESIDENT WAS TRYING TO MAKE CLEAR THAT THE 2017 TAX BILL IS SOMETHING THAT IS FOR BILLIONAIRES AND CORPORATIONS, AND THAT IS NOT WHAT HE IS FOR, RIGHT? HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THE WORKING CLASS GETS THEIR FAIR SHARE COME AND HE WANTS TO MAKE SURE THE BILLIONAIRES AND CORPORATIONS PAY WHAT THEY OWE. AND SO HE IS TALKING ABOUT AN ECONOMY, THE TYPE OF ECONOMY HE WANTS TO BUILD. . YOU HEAR HIM SAY IT ALL THE TIME, AND ECONOMY IS BEST BUILT FROM THE BOTTOM UP AND MIDDLE OUT THAT DOES NOT LEAVE OUT THE MIDDLE CLASS, THAT BUILDS INTO THE MIDDLE CLASSED. THAT IS WHAT HE IS TRIED TO SPEAK TO MORE BROADLY AND HOW BILLIONAIRES AND CORPORATIONS HAVE TO PAY THEIR FAIR SHARE. HE HAS ALWAYS BEEN CLEAR ABOUT THAT. THE 2017 TAX BILL DOES NOT DO THAT. DOES THE OPPOSITE OF THAT. THAT IS WHAT WE HAVE SEEN FROM REPUBLICANS COME UP WITH A PUT OUT THEIR BUDGET RECENTLY, THAT IS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. THEY WANT TO GIVE THEM A BREAK COME AND WHAT THE PRESIDENT WANT TO DO IS GET MIDDLE-CLASS A BREAK, AND YOU SEEN THAT, FROM LEGISLATION THAT HAS BEEN PASSED, TRYING TO MAKE SURE WE DO NOT LEAVE COMMUNITIES BEHIND, COMMUNITIES THAT HAVE BEEN LEFT BEHIND FOR DECADES NOW. PETER COME I HAVE TO GOING TO THE OVAL OFFICE.
>> ARIZONA STATE HOUSE LAWMAKERS JUST PASSED A BILL THAT WOULD REPEAL THE NEAR TOTAL BAN ON ABORTION IN THE STATE, THE PRESIDENT'S VIEW ON THAT. SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: YOU'VE HEARD US TALK ABOUT THE 1864 LAW AND HOW IT SETS US BACK. 1864. WE ARE IN 2024, AND THERE IS A LAW THAT THEY WANTED TO MOVE FORWARD WITHOUT OBVIOUSLY WOULD HURT WOMEN, WOULD HURT REPRODUCTIVE RIGHTS, WOULD HURT OBVIOUSLY WOMEN TO MAKE A DECISION ABOUT THEIR HEALTH CARE. AND I HAVE NOT SEEN THAT REPORT, BUT IF THIS IS THE CASE, THAT IT HAS BEEN REPEALED IN ONE OF THE CHAMBERS, THAT IS A GOOD THING, RIGHT? WE ARE MOVING FORWARD IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WE ARE MOVING FORWARD TO WHERE WE ARE TODAY IN 2024, WHEN WE SHOULD BE PROTECTING OUR FREEDOM, PROTECTING A WOMAN'S RIGHT TO MAKE A VERY PERSONAL DECISION ABOUT HER BODY.
>> LAST OF A REAL QUICKLY, I KNOW YOU'VE GOT TO GO, BUT MENTIONING THE WORD TIKTOK, MAYBE THAT'S ONE WORK OF A TIKTOK, THERE ISBETWEEN THE TWO, IF YOU HAD AN ELEVATOR PITCH, THERE ARE 170 MILLION AMERICANS WHO USE TIKTOK RIGHT NOW, WHAT IS THE SIMPLE STATEMENT FOR AMERICANS RIGHT NOW WHO SAY THERE THE PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES IS IN FAVOR OF BANNING AN APPLICATION THAT I RELY ON, IN SOME CASES FOR MY LIVELIHOOD. SEC.
JEAN-PIERRE: THIS IS NOT A BAN, THIS IS ABOUT DIVESTMENT, THIS IS ABOUT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY. WE ARE NOT SAYING THAT WE DON'T WANT AMERICANS TO USE TIKTOK. THAT IS NOT WHAT WE ARE SAYING. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT AMERICANS ARE PROTECTED, AND THAT IS WHAT THIS IS ABOUT. AND SO WE BELIEVE THIS LAW WOULD GET US THERE. WE BELIEVE WE WOULD BE ABLE TO DIVEST, THAT TIKTOK WILL BE ABLE TO DIVEST. WE BELIEVE THAT THERE IS INTEREST IN FOLKS WHO WANT TO BUY TIKTOK, AND WE WANT TO GET THERE. THE PRESIDENT WANTS TO PROTECT AMERICANS, HE WANTS TO PROTECT AMERICANS PRIVACY. HE WANTS TO PROTECT AMERICANS FROM A COUNTRY IN THIS INSTANCE THAT ONCE YOU POTENTIALLY DO US HARM. WE ARE NOT SAYING WE DO NOT WANT TIKTOK TO EXIST. WE ARE NOT SAYING WE DO NOT WANT AMERICANS TO USE TIKTOK. WE WANT TO MAKE SURE IT IS DONE IN A WAY THAT WE PROTECT OUR NATIONAL SECURITY AND WE PROTECT AMERICANS. ALRIGHT, EVERYBODY COME I'VE GOT TO GO TO THE OVAL. THANKS, EVERYBODY. HAVE A GOOD WEEK. I GUESS I WILL SEE YOU IN NEW YORK. [CAPTIONS COPYRIGHT NATIONAL CABLE SATELLITE CORP. 2024] [CAPTIONING PERFORMED BY THE NATIONAL CAPTIONING INSTITUTE, WHICH IS RESPONSIBLE FOR ITS CAPTION CONTENT AND ACCURACY. VISIT NCICAP.ORG]
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