{"id":169945,"date":"2023-11-21T10:14:40","date_gmt":"2023-11-21T18:14:40","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=169945"},"modified":"2023-11-21T10:14:40","modified_gmt":"2023-11-21T18:14:40","slug":"briefing-by-press-secretary-karine-jean-pierre-and-nsc-coordinator-for-strategic-communications-john-kirby-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/?p=169945","title":{"rendered":"Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Oh, where is everybody?  Oh, it\u2019s holidays.  Well, good afternoon, everyone.  Good afternoon, everybody.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"640\" height=\"360\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FYZztiGyz4g\" title=\"11\/20\/23: Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p>Q    Good afternoon!<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  (Laughs.)  Happy Monday.  All right.  This Thanksgiving, we have a lot to be thankful for.  While inflation caused by the pandemic and Russia\u2019s war continues to be a challenge, we have seen important progress.<\/p>\n<p>Just in a time \u2014 just in time for holiday travel, gas prices are down $1.70 from their peak, airline tickets are down 13 percent over the last year, and car rentals are down about 10 percent. <\/p>\n<p>And as we start preparing our Thanksgiving meals, grocery inflation is at its lowest level in over two years, with prices for eggs, milk, bacon, and fresh veggies lower than last year. <\/p>\n<p>In fact, according to the American Farm Bureau, the cost of a Thanksgiving dinner fell this year.  Prices are down for turkey, stuffing, peas, cranberries, pie crust, and whipping cream. <\/p>\n<p>We had a big discussion about whipping cream in the back.  (Laughter.)  It was like \u2014 I don\u2019t know what \u201cwhipping cream\u201d is.  I know \u201cwhipped cream\u201d but not \u201cwhipping cream.\u201d  Anyway. <\/p>\n<p>Because wages are rising, this Thanksgiving dinner is the fourth-cheapest ever as a percentage of average earnings. <\/p>\n<p>Finally, as we look ahead to holi- \u2014 to holiday shopping, since last year, prices for toys are down about 4 percent, used cars and trucks are down 7 percent, and TVs are down 9 percent.<\/p>\n<p>Lowering costs for Americans continues to be the President\u2019s top economic priority.  From strengthening supply \u2014 supply chains, to lowering energy and healthcare costs, to cracking down on price gouging by ba- \u2014 banning hidden junk fees, President Biden\u2019s policy will continue bringing relief to American families. <\/p>\n<p>Meanwhile, instead of lowering costs for middle-class families, congressional Republicans are trying to lower costs for the wealthy and special interests \u2014 lower taxes, to be more exact \u2014 including big corporations that are fighting tooth and nail to stop the President\u2019s efforts to ban junk fees. <\/p>\n<p>Now, today, on Transgender Day of Remembrance, we grieve the 26 transgender Americans who were killed this year.  Year after year, we see that these victims are disproportionately Black women and women of color.  No one should face violence, live in fear, or be discriminated against simply for being themselves. <\/p>\n<p>As the President said, there\u2019s still more to do to meet the promise.  And it\u2019s why this administration has taken urgent action to strengthen rights and protect the safety of transgender Americans and all LGBTQ+ Americans. <\/p>\n<p>As we mourn the loss of lives that have been taken too soon, we must also recommit ourselves to never stop fighting until all Americans can live free from discrimination and also from hate.<\/p>\n<p>With that, Admiral John Kirby is here today to take any questions that you may have, obviously, on the foreign policy front and to give any updates that we have on the Middle East. <\/p>\n<p>Admiral. <\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Thanks, Karine.<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  You all right there?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  Yep. <\/p>\n<p>Q    What happened?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Let\u2019s just move right to the topper.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>So, today, I think you know, Secretary Austin is in Kyiv to meet with Ukraine\u2019s leaders and reinforce our staunch support for Ukraine\u2019s fight for freedom against Russia\u2019s brutal invasion. <\/p>\n<p>The Secretary underscored President Biden\u2019s abiding commitment to provide Ukraine with the weapons and equipment that it needs to retake its sovereign territory and defend itself. <\/p>\n<p>Now, in Kyiv, Secretary Austin announced a new security assistance package using previously authorized presi- \u2014 presidential drawdown authorities.  It includes Stinger anti-aircraft missiles and additional HIMARS systems, additional<br \/>\nHIMARS ammunition, 155 millimeter and 105 millimeter artillery rounds, Javelin and AT-4 anti-tank systems, and, of course, millions of rounds of small-arms ammunition.<\/p>\n<p>This announcement will obviously help keep \u2014 meet Ukraine\u2019s immediate battlefield needs, but only just that.<\/p>\n<p>Again, we want to urge Congress to pass the supplemental request that we put in front of them to allow us to keep supporting Ukraine in an unimpeded, uninterrupted way.  The runway continues to get shorter with each \u2014 every \u2014 each and every passing assistance package that \u2014 that we provide them.<\/p>\n<p>As President Biden has said, when aggressors don\u2019t pay a price for their aggression, they\u2019ll cause more chaos and death and destruction.  They just keep on going, and the cost and the threats to America and to the world will keep rising. <\/p>\n<p>So, the actions that we take and, just as critically, the potential actions we don\u2019t take will reverberate for many years to come.<\/p>\n<p>Speaking of that, I\u2019m sure you saw the op-ed piece that the President wrote for the Washington Post over the weekend, laying out how the world faces an inflection point right now, again, about \u2014 where the choices we make will determine our future for generations to come.<\/p>\n<p>As he noted, we continue to stand firmly with the Israeli people as they defend themselves against Hamas \u2014 a terrorist group that has vowed to wipe Israel off the map and has promised to conduct attacks similar to ones on Sep- \u2014 the 7th of October again and again and again.<\/p>\n<p>So, President Biden and the team here is doing everything we can to help get the hostages that Hamas took \u2014 get them released, including young children and, of course, Americans that are in that po- \u2014 pool.<\/p>\n<p>I think \u2014 I know this is of great interest to all of you.  I just want to let you know we\u2019re still working this hour by hour.  I do not have an update for you on the hostage deal that we\u2019re trying to negotiate, but as you heard the Deputy National Security Advisor say yesterday, we believe we\u2019re closer than we\u2019ve ever been.<\/p>\n<p>So, we\u2019re hopeful, but \u2014 but there\u2019s still work to be done.  And nothing is done until it\u2019s all done, so we\u2019re going to keep working on this.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re also working to increase the flow of lifesaving humanitarian assistance: food, water, medicine.  We\u2019re calling for respecting the inter- \u2014 international law in terms of minimizing the loss of innocent lives.  And, of course, we\u2019re continuing to advocate for humanitarian pauses so that people can out of harm\u2019s way and that aid and assistance can get in.<\/p>\n<p>And, of course, you saw us le- \u2014 levy multiple rounds of sanctions to degrade Hamas\u2019s financial structure, cutting them off from outside funding and trying to make it harder for them to be able to resource the kinds of attacks that they conducted on the 7th of October.<\/p>\n<p>So, just a real quick update on the latest figures, and then I\u2019ll be done.<\/p>\n<p>Over the last couple of days, the 19th \u2014 the 18th and 19th of November, almost 100 trucks carrying humanitarian aid were able to enter Gaza.  That brings the total to over 1,260.<\/p>\n<p>And then, following Israel\u2019s announcement that it\u2019s allowing fuel now into Gaza to support nongovernmental organizations at our strong request, we are now tracking that six trucks have cro- \u2014 crossed now into Gaza with approximately 18,000 gallons of fuel.  That will help support food distribution and it will help generators for \u2014 for the hospitals so they can keep working.<\/p>\n<p>Again, we expect those deliveries to continue on a regular basis and hopefully in larger quantities.  I\u2019m talking about the fuel specifically there. <\/p>\n<p>And then, just lastly, the total number of U.S. citizens that we\u2019ve been able to move out of Gaza through that Rafah Crossing is now up to 800.  We\u2019re continuing to work that every day as well. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead, Steve.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you, John.  The United Nations says nowhere is safe in Gaza.  Is the U.S. working with Israel to create a safe area in Gaza for civilians? <\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  What we\u2019ve talked to the Israelis about, particularly now as they\u2019re beginning to plan operations in the south where so many people have moved, is to make it clear that they have obligations to not only allow for that safe passage but \u2014 but to make sure they\u2019re not putting all those civilians \u2014 now more civilians in Southern Gaza than were before \u2014 putting them in harm\u2019s way. <\/p>\n<p>Q    And secondly, I know you don\u2019t want to talk about hostages.  But in general, is Israel on board with the idea of a pause of a few days? <\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  That gets into our negotiations here for the hostages.  They have instituted \u2014 again, at our urging, they\u2019ve instituted these daily humanitarian pauses.  And in some cases \u2014 they were supposed to be four hours a day \u2014 they\u2019ve actually expanded them up to seven hours a day. <\/p>\n<p>So, they\u2019re happening on a regular basis.  And they\u2019re predominantly designed to allow people fro- \u2014 in the north to move through a couple of safe corridors to the south.  So, it\u2019s a pause to let people get out.  That\u2019s the principal purpose of that. <\/p>\n<p>But I think you can imagine \u2014 and, again, I want to be careful here; I don\u2019t want to negotiate in public.  But if you\u2019re going to secure the release of hostages \u2014 and we certainly hope we\u2019re going to be able to do that soon \u2014 you got to make sure they can get from where they are to safety and do that as safely as possible, which means you\u2019re going to have to have at least a temporary localized stop in the fighting to allow them to move. <\/p>\n<p>I mean, we also can\u2019t take for granted that all of these people are easily mobile and don\u2019t have some sort of health issues that require perhaps a slower route out or assistance getting out. <\/p>\n<p>So, I don\u2019t \u2014 again, don\u2019t want to negotiate in public.  But \u2014 but we believe we\u2019re getting closer.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Michael.<\/p>\n<p>Q    John, you talked about the negotiations.  Everybody has been sort of talking about the swirl of \u2014 you know, the contacts between the U.S. and Israel and Qatar and Hamas. <\/p>\n<p>What \u2014 and when you talk to the family members, one of their deep, abiding frustrations is that it\u2019s, I think, day 45, and they don\u2019t have any information \u2014 proof of life, conditions \u2014 that \u2014 that normally the Red Cross would \u2014 would go in, would at least, you know, determine something about the fate of their \u2014 you know, some of these people are \u2014 you know, believe that their \u2014 their loved ones either are sick or need medicine or \u2014 or have been injured or whatever. <\/p>\n<p>You know, is there \u2014 is there nothing that the U.S. and Israeli governments can tell the hostage families without compromising the \u2014 the ongoing negotiations to actually get some release?  And if not, what \u2014 to what do you explain \u2014 what do you think explains the fact that the Red Cross hasn\u2019t been able to get in there?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  I can\u2019t speak specifically to the Red Cross access.  You know, Hamas has control here over where they are and how they are.  So, it could be an issue of Hamas holding \u2014 holding that kind of access up.<\/p>\n<p>I can tell you we\u2019re doing the best we can with the information that we have to keep the families informed \u2014 American families informed.  And we \u2014 there\u2019s not that many of them.  We know who they are, and we\u2019re doing the best we can to keep them in- \u2014 informed, including keeping them informed on the \u2014 the process of trying to secure release. <\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s a \u2014 I\u2019m not going to \u2014 you know, I\u2019m not going to lie here.  It \u2014 you know, there\u2019s, in some cases, a paucity of information.  I mean, it\u2019s just \u2014 it has been difficult to get any great detail on every single hostage \u2014 where they are, how they are \u2014 you know, and \u2014 and move that process forward in terms of informing the families. <\/p>\n<p>It doesn\u2019t \u2014 we\u2019ll do what we can.  We\u2019re informing them to the maximum degree we can.  They have a right to know everything that \u2014 that \u2014 that we know.  And we\u2019ll just \u2014 we\u2019ll just keep doing it on our own as best we can. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks so much, John.  Has the President had any additional calls with world leaders about the hostage deal today?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Not that I\u2019m tracking today.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And was the last time he spoke to Prime Minister Netanyahu \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  The last chat \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 last Tuesday?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  \u2014 the last call that they had.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Can you just give us a sense of the level of trust right now?  And I know you can\u2019t speak to specifics, but in these negotiations, how much trust is there in those conversations of all pa- \u2014 between all parties over the hostage deal?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  It\u2019s a negotiation.  And it\u2019s over human lives.  You \u2014 you do the best you can going back and forth with the arrangements, which we\u2019re doing right now.  And at some point, when you come down to executing \u2014 you know, when you hit \u201cgo\u201d \u2014 then you\u2019re counting on everybody to meet their commitments.  And that\u2019s what \u2014 that\u2019s what we\u2019re doing. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Gabe.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Admiral, over the weekend, President Biden, in his op-ed, said that the U.S. was preparing to issue visa bans against Israeli extremists attacking civilians on the West Bank.  What effect would that actually have?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Well, that would \u2014 if you were to do \u2014 con- \u2014 impose a visa ban, it would prevent that individual from \u2014 from traveling \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    But \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  \u2014 to the United States. <\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 is there any timeline on when that might be instituted?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  I don\u2019t have a timeline for you. <\/p>\n<p>Q    But \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Nor do I have a final \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Is that \u2014 is that \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  \u2014 decision.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 meant to be the terms of \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Nor do I have a final decision. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Is \u2014 is the Biden administration upset by how this is playing out in the West Bank \u2014 what those extremists are doing to Palestinians on the West Bank?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Of course, we are.  Of course, we are.  The President has spoken to this many, many times, including from the Rose Garden when he was here with the Australian Prime Minister.  I mean, what\u2019s happening with the settler violence is unacceptable.  Absolutely reprehensible. <\/p>\n<p>And yes, we \u2014 and we wouldn\u2019t have talked about the potential of examining visa bans \u2014 and, again, no final decision here \u2014 if it \u2014 if it wasn\u2019t just another clear statement of \u2014 of our deep concern over this.<\/p>\n<p>Q    What other sanctions are being considered besides the visa bans?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  I don\u2019t have anything else.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead, Annie. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Oh, thanks so much.  There\u2019s been fighting over the last few days and hours around the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza. <\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Can you speak to whether or not there is U.S. intelligence that suggests that that, too, is some sort of hub for Hamas activity and what the U.S. feeling is about those reports of shelling in and near that hospital.<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Hospitals should not be the scenes of firefights.  We\u2019ve been very clear about that.  We got patients in there, you got medical staff, you got people whose lives are literally at risk and are innocent victims of this.  They shouldn\u2019t be put at \u2014 at more risk than they already are being held up in a \u2014 in a hospital \u2014 or holed up in a hospital because of health issues, can\u2019t \u2014 and can\u2019t move.  So, we don\u2019t want to see firefights in hospitals. <\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t have any specific intelligence about the degree to which Hamas is or is not using that particular hospital.  Nothing to share today. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead, Mark.<\/p>\n<p>Q    John, I was just curious.  You mentioned Hamas is still determined to try and carry out any sort of terrorist attack abroad this Thanksgiving week.  Is there any elevated risk of terror attacks here at home, and are \u2014 is the White House or NSC doing anything specific?  Because of the holiday week, most people, obviously, kind of check out in D.C.  I\u2019m just curious, are you staffing up in a difference \u2014 because of the terror threat?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  We\u2019re not tracking any specific, credible threat here at home over the holiday.  That said, I think you can understand we \u2014 we\u2019re going to be as vigilant as we have been since this conflict began and certainly make sure that \u2014 that we, to the best we can, can identify any potential domestic threats and disrupt them before they can take place.<br \/>\nWe\u2019re watching this all very, very closely for spillover effects from the fight between Israel and Hamas, both against the Jewish community and, of course, the Muslim community here in the United States.  But, again, I\u2019m not tracking any specific, credible threat that \u2014 that\u2019s being acted on at this time.<br \/>\nQ    Back at the Indonesian Hospital, my colleague spoke with the hospital administrator who said that President Biden needs to do more to protect hospitals in Gaza because, quote, \u201che\u2019s the only one Netanyahu will listen to.\u201d  Could you comment on that?  And also, is the U.S. at all concerned that Israel keeps it \u2014 is being seen, rather, as attacking one Gaza hospital after another and also areas in the south now?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  The President in every conversation that he has with Prime Minister Netanyahu \u2014 and it\u2019s not just him \u2014 Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin, Jake Sullivan, the whole team here \u2014 at every instance continues to urge the Israelis to be as cautious and deliberate and as careful as they can in conducting these operations against Hamas, which they have a right and a responsibility to do, to go after Hamas.<br \/>\nThey also have a right and responsibility \u2014 and added burden, if you will, because of the way Hamas fights \u2014 to do everything they can to look after civilian casualties.  It is a part of every discussion that we\u2019re having with our Israeli counterparts.<br \/>\nAnd, I\u2019m sorry, the second question was?<br \/>\nQ    The second question was: Is the United States at all concerned that Israel is seen attacking hospital after hospital?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  Oh.  Well, as I \u2014 as I said, I think, in my previous answer, we don\u2019t want to see hospitals as battlegrounds.  We don\u2019t want to see firefights in hospitals.<br \/>\nNow, as we\u2019ve also said \u2014 at least when it comes to al-Shifa; I don\u2019t have any intelligence on this Indonesia hospital.  But at Al-Shifa, we did have intelligence that corroborated the Israeli claims that Hamas was using it as a command-and-control node.<br \/>\nSo, it puts an added burden on Israel as they conduct operations in and around hospitals to be even more discriminant and more careful.  Because, again, you\u2019ve got real live patients, real live doctors, real live nurses that you got to look out \u2014 out for.<br \/>\nOn the other hand, you\u2019ve got a real live threat.  You got a group that seems to think it\u2019s okay to bury themselves in the basement of a hospital and use it to command and control their operations.  And that presents a viable, legitimate threat to the security of the Israeli people.  So, it\u2019s about striking that balance.<br \/>\nMS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead, Nancy.<br \/>\nQ    Thank you.  John, the White House condemned Elon Musk in pretty strong terms last week after he once again said something that was considered antisemitic.  You called his comments \u201cabhorrent.\u201d  This administration, this government is very reliant on Elon Musk, particularly SpaceX technology, Starlink technology.  Have there been any efforts made to wean the government off of his technology or find some kind of replacement for it?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  I\u2019m not aware of any efforts to do that, Nancy, but I think we\u2019ve been very clear about the rhetoric and how inappropriate it is.  And we\u2019ll call that out every time we see it.<br \/>\nQ    But is the President concerned that the Pentagon and NASA are so reliant on someone who holds these views and appears to even more routinely embrace conspiracy theories?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  We\u2019re \u2014 we\u2019re \u2014 we rely on a lot of the defense industry, a lot of the private sector to help us with our innovation, to help us with research and development on new systems, and to help us in the realm of space and cyberspace.<br \/>\nThere\u2019s a \u2014 there\u2019s a real benefit to private-public partnership when it comes to those kinds of national security threats and national security challenges.  There\u2019s innovation out there in the private sector that we\u2019d be foolish to \u2014 to walk away from.<br \/>\nI\u2019m not aware of any specific efforts to address \u2014 to address our concerns over his rhetoric through \u2014 through the way that \u2014 that his companies provide support to our national security establishment.  But that doesn\u2019t mean that we accept or \u2014 or agree with or condone, in any way, that antisemitic rhetoric that he pushed.<br \/>\nMS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead, M.J.<br \/>\nQ    Thank you, John.  Does the U.S. have any assessment of what the Israeli military is describing as CCTV footage of Hamas bringing through hostages through Al-Shifa hospital on October 7th?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  I don\u2019t.<br \/>\nQ    Okay.  On the hostages, if women and children end up being released first, which is what it sounds like the situation is probably headed towards, does the U.S. have any sense of how many in that mix might be American citizens?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  I don\u2019t want to get ahead of where we are, M.J.  And, I mean, I know that everybody is interested in the numbers and who they\u2019re going to be.  We\u2019re working that through literally in real time with \u2014 with both sides.  So, I think it\u2019s better if I just don\u2019t speculate about what that pool is going to look like.<br \/>\nObviously, we are laser-focused on the American citizens that we know are being held hostage, and we want them out.  All of them \u2014 everybody should be out now.  But here we are in a negotiation.  And we\u2019re getting closer to the end, we believe, of that negotiation.  So, again, I\u2019m \u2014 I\u2019m going to be careful.<br \/>\nQ    For any of the potential American hostages, is there confidence that they are alive?  I know that you\u2019ve addressed the lack of proof-of-life videos and such in the past, but \u2014<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  I would say we have no indication otherwise.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, John.  There was media reports over the weekend that U.S. pressure had resulted in the Palestinian Authority taking down a tweet that accused the Israeli helicopters of most of the deaths at that music festival.  Can you elaborate on that at all?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  No.  I mean, I don\u2019t know.  What would you want me to say to that?<br \/>\nQ    Well, I mean, can you confirm any \u2014 can you give any information about, you know, what kind of communications there were between the U.S. and the Palestinian Authority about that messaging?<br \/>\nMR. KIRBY:  I\u2019m not aware of any specific messaging between us and the P.A. on that.  I mean, obviously, it\u2019s simply not true.  There was Hamas paragliding into a music festival.  I mean, there was no Israeli participation in that at all.<br \/>\nQ    And then I just wonder if you can elaborate a bit on the President\u2019s remarks in the op-ed about a revitalized Palestinian Authority.  Like, what would that look like?  Is it new leadership?  Is it a different structure?  Like, could just talk about that a little more?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  It\u2019s \u2014 you know, what it looks like is going to depend on the Palestinian people.  But what he\u2019s referring to there is a Palestinian Authority that has the \u2014 has the credibility, has the legitimacy, has the authority, has the support of all Palestinians so that they can effectively help with post-conflict governance, particularly in Gaza.  But what it actually looks like is really and should be up to Palestinians.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:   Go ahead.  And a couple more in the back. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.  Go ahead, sir.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Hi.  Me?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:   Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Okay.  Hi, John.  Thanks.  And Happy Thanksgiving to you.<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:   You too.<\/p>\n<p>Q    President Biden stood by calling President Xi a \u201cdictator\u201d at the APEC press conference.  China\u2019s Foreign Ministry condemned this is as, quote, \u201cextremely incorrect and irresponsible political manipulation.\u201d  What is the administration\u2019s response or reaction to this?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  We came away from San Francisco with some concrete deliverables on fentanyl, on military-to-military communications, on getting our two teams together to start working on artificial intelligence, particularly in the national security realm. <\/p>\n<p>There was an awful lot of very good outcomes out of this meeting between President Biden and President Xi.  And the President is looking forward \u2014 we\u2019re looking forward to managing this relationship in a \u2014 in a more responsible way and moving things forward, looking for ways where we can cooperate, but also not being afraid to confront where \u2014 where we can\u2019t, including on the tensions in the South China Sea. <\/p>\n<p>So, the President and his whole national security team is focused forward now coming out of San Francisco.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Still going to call him a \u201cdictator\u201d each time he sees him?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  The President \u2014 the President made it very clear.  He was asked a direct question; he gave a direct answer.  He \u2014 and he stands by that direct answer.  That doesn\u2019t mean \u2014 as true as that statement was, it doesn\u2019t mean that \u2014 that there aren\u2019t still prospects here to find ways to cooperate and to compete with China in a more responsible way going forward.  And that\u2019s where the President\u2019s head is.<\/p>\n<p>Q    When these two leaders met, did they agree to meet again or speak again in the near term?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  They agreed that they would \u2014 they would meet again, but there was no date put on the calendar. <\/p>\n<p>But what\u2019s really important now is that the military-to-military comms will begin to start and \u2014 even down to the theater commander level and maybe even lower than that.  So, that\u2019s a \u2014 that\u2019s \u2014 that\u2019s the immediate channels of communication that we\u2019re looking at getting back open. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:   Steven, go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you, Karine.  I\u2019ve got a question about fentanyl, then a question about the Gaza conflict. <\/p>\n<p>On fentanyl, the Chinese President committed to reducing the export of fentanyl and fentanyl precursors.  But under President Biden there have been 200,000 Americans who have stopped breathing and died as a result of these chemicals.  As of earlier this year, we\u2019re still at record monthly numbers.  If there is not a drop in American deaths, will President Biden hold the Chinese President personally responsible?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  It was really significant what President Xi was willing to commit to.  To \u2014 for the first time now in several years \u2014 I mean, they were really going forward here and willing to take law enforcement action to shut down the export of these ingredients \u2014 the precursor chemicals that the \u2014 that the labs, largely in our own hemisphere, are creating to make fentanyl.  It\u2019s a big step forward, and we\u2019re grateful for that. <\/p>\n<p>And we\u2019ll see how they are in execution.  And I think we all need to understand that it may be some time before you see the practical results of this crackdown on the precursors.  But we\u2019re grateful for that. <\/p>\n<p>But it\u2019s not \u2014 you know, it\u2019s not just the precursals \u2013precursor \u2014 precursor chemicals.  I\u2019ll try it again in English.  The \u2014 but it\u2019s the labs in our own hemisphere that are taking those chemicals, those ingredients, making fentanyl, and then \u2014 and then moving it north up to our borders.  And it\u2019s a serious problem. <\/p>\n<p>And, again, as the President said at the press conference: This agreement will save lives \u2014 will save American lives.  And President Xi said he was committed to helping with that. <\/p>\n<p>Q    But before turning to the second question, just to follow up on that: The Chinese President is in charge of a single-party state.  He\u2019s \u2014 he said in the past that he\u2019d crack down on fentanyl, and U.S. deaths hit an all-time record last year.  I mean, is President Biden not going to consider him personally responsible if American deaths do not go down?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  He has said he was going to be personally responsible for stemming the flow of these chemicals out of China, and we\u2019re grateful for that.  That\u2019s been \u2014 that\u2019s going to take a little bit of time as he goes back to Beijing and puts those processes in place \u2014 those law enforcement actions.  We\u2019re grateful for that.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you.  And the second question.  Protesters here in D.C., in New York, across the country \u2014 they\u2019ve settled on a nickname for the President.  They\u2019ve been calling him \u201cGenocide Joe.\u201d  They wrote it on the gates.  Do you have a response from the White House for that nickname that they\u2019ve settled on?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  We\u2019re not worried about nicknames and bumper stickers.  I mean, it \u2014 it\u2019s First Amendment, free speech.<\/p>\n<p>The President is focused on \u2014 as he wrote in his op-ed, on making sure that we can continue to support Israel as they fight a terrible terrorist group, Hamas, and as we all work together to get humanitarian assistance in and get people out, including hostages.<\/p>\n<p>I said this the other day: Again, people can say what they want on \u2014 on the sidewalk and that \u2014 and we respect that.  That\u2019s what the First Amendment is about.<\/p>\n<p>But this word \u201cgenocide\u201d is getting thrown around in a pretty inappropriate way by lots of different folks.<\/p>\n<p>What Hamas wants, make no mistake about it, is genocide.  They want to wipe Israel off the map.  They\u2019ve said so publicly on more than one occasion \u2014 in fact, just recently. <\/p>\n<p>And they\u2019ve said that they\u2019re not going to stop, what happened on the 7th of October is going to happen again and again and again.  And what happened on the 7th of October?  Murder.  Slaughter of innocent people in their homes or at a music festival.  That\u2019s genocidal intentions. <\/p>\n<p>Yes, there are too many civilian casualties in Gaza.  Yes, the numbers are too high.  Yes, fam- \u2014 too many families are grieving.  And yes, we continue to urge the Israelis to be as careful and cautious as possible.  That\u2019s not going to stop, from the President right on down. <\/p>\n<p>But Israel is not trying to wipe the Palestinian people off the map.  Israel is not trying to wipe Gaza off the map. <\/p>\n<p>Israel is trying to defend itself against a genocidal terrorist threat.  So, when we\u2019re going to start \u2014 if we\u2019re going to start using that word, fine, let\u2019s use it appropriately.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Okay, way in the back.  Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    I wanted to ask you about White House Advisor Amos Hochstein\u2019s visit to Israel.  Can you give us a sense of what the goal of these talks are?  And does his visit signal that the White House is concerned about military action \u2014 Israeli military action in Lebanon? <\/p>\n<p>And then I have a follow-up. <\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Yeah.  Amos is in Israel today to follow up on his last meeting to Lebanon, about a week or so ago, where he \u2014 where he talked to Lebanese officials and to Israeli officials up in the north about \u2014 about the risks of a second front \u2014 a northern front. <\/p>\n<p>And he\u2019s in Israel today sort of back briefing his conversations with the Israeli counterparts there in \u2014 in Tel Aviv. <\/p>\n<p>Q    But in terms of a follow-up, is the White House concerned that Israel could be provoking Hezbollah? <\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  We don\u2019t want to see this war escalate.  We don\u2019t want to see it widen.  We certainly don\u2019t believe it\u2019s in anybody\u2019s interest \u2014 certainly not the Israeli people\u2019s interest \u2014 to have a second front there in the north.  Though what Amos is doing, what our team is doing is everything we can to help prevent that scenario from happening. <\/p>\n<p>Q    How fearful are you that \u2014 that if this is something that is being provoked that it could draw the United States into it \u2014 that is the goal of Israel right now?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Well, again, we don\u2019t \u2014 we don\u2019t want to see the conflict widen or escalate.  That is why Amos is \u2014 is having the conversations he\u2019s having.  That\u2019s why Secretary Blinken has now had two extensive trips to the Middle East.  And it\u2019s why the President has put forward additional force posture \u2014 we were all talking about the carrier strike groups, but also air and missile defense, as well as fixed-wing aviation \u2014 into the region so that we can send a strong signal to any actor \u2014 nation-state or otherwise \u2014 that if you\u2019re going to think about widening and deepening this conflict, don\u2019t do it. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead, Kemi.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yeah, thank you.  South Africa just submitted they re- \u2014 their referral to the ICC to investigate Prime Minister Netanyahu.  Do you have any comments regarding that for war crime?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  I\u2019ll tell you, I\u2019m going to take that question. I have not seen that referral by South Africa.  So, before I go talking out of school here for our U.N. ambassador, we\u2019ll take that question and we\u2019ll get back to you. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Okay.  I ask a follow-up question.  It\u2019s almost the first-year anniversary of the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit.  President Biden said he planned to travel to Africa within the year.  Do you have any updates when the President will travel?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  I do not.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Is there an assessment of the U.S. on the level to which Hamas has been degraded over the last several weeks?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  We don\u2019t have an independent assessment that I\u2019m aware of.  That\u2019s a question better put to the Israeli Defense Forces. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Is it something that you \u2014 I know that you have a lot of communications with the Israelis inside of their operation.  Is that part of what the \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  They \u2014 they \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 communications are between the U- \u2014 I mean, I\u2019m trying to get a sense of sort of what the next steps are and how long a campaign this may need to be based on that level of \u2014 of degradation.<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Those are all great questions for the Israeli Defense Forces.  This is their operation.<\/p>\n<p>Now, yes, we\u2019re in touch with them daily.  And they \u2014 they provide us their perspectives.  They provide us updates. <\/p>\n<p>I\u2019m not going to, from this podium, characterize those conversations.  I\u2019m certainly not going to quantify the degree to which Hamas has been degraded.  They are continuing to go after their leadership, particularly in the north of \u2014 of Gaza. <\/p>\n<p>But really, that\u2019s a better question for them. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  We got to wrap this up.  Go ahead, Aurelia.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you so much.  Has the President called the president-elect of Argentina or does he plan to do so? <\/p>\n<p>And maybe a wider question: Does the administration think that this president-elect is the right man to reform the economy and the country?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  So, on your first question, I \u2014 I don\u2019t have an update on the President\u2019s call sheet to talk about today.  But obviously, I\u2019m sure Karine and her team will keep you informed as \u2014 as things progress.<\/p>\n<p>You \u2014 I probably saw it \u2014 there was a tweet by Jake Sullivan congratulating him on his win.  We look forward to working with him, his admi- \u2014 and his administration. <\/p>\n<p>Argentina is a terrific partner in the region.  And \u2014 and there\u2019s an awful lot of things we share in terms of values \u2014 value of democracy, human rights, and \u2014 and just \u2014 just hemispheric security and economic concerns that we\u2019ll \u2014 we\u2019ll look forward to working with him and his team on. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Joey, last question. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Oh, yeah.  Thanks.  I \u2014 I know you\u2019ve been careful on what you can say regarding the hostage negotiations.  But are you able to confirm that \u2014 that we\u2019re talking \u2014 that they\u2019re centered on women and children \u2014 getting women and children specifically out?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  I\u2019d really rather not. <\/p>\n<p>But obviously, as I said in my opening statement, we \u2014 we want to see \u2014 specifically, especially, we want to see the children and women get released.  Obviously, that\u2019s a high focus for everybody.  And, of course, the Americans, too, because we know there\u2019s at least one American toddler in that pool. <\/p>\n<p>But I think the less said the better as we get into the \u2014 you know, into the \u2014 what we hope is the endgame here on negotiations.  It\u2019s probably safer if I don\u2019t go into much \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    When you say hopeful \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  \u2014 speculating.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 that it\u2019s the endgame, what are we \u2014 you know, what kind of timeframe are you looking at?  I mean \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  I couldn\u2019t tell you.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Just \u2014 just that we\u2019re closer now than we\u2019ve been before.  That\u2019s a good thing.  But, you know, we don\u2019t want to do or say anything publicly that\u2019s going to jeopardize what we hope will be a positive result. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks. <\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  You\u2019re too long \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Regarding your injury \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  \u2014 on your foot there.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 is it a break \u2014 a sprain or a break?<\/p>\n<p>MR. KIRBY:  Both. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Aw.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Oh, man.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I didn\u2019t want to keep them too long on his feet. <\/p>\n<p>Thank you so much, Admiral.  Appreciate that.  I know it\u2019s not comfortable. <\/p>\n<p>Will, go ahead. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Okay, I got a couple of things.  Changing gears, will there be an order to lower flags to half-staff to mark Mrs. Carter\u2019s par- \u2014 passing?  And is the President planning on attending her funeral?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, let me just say at the top \u2014 I know you heard from the President and the First Lady yesterday on the passing of the former First Lady.  I just want to say, certainly, that their thoughts are with President Carter and the entire Carter family. <\/p>\n<p>As the President said yesterday, Jimmy and Rosalynn Carter have been dear, longtime friends.  And Rosalynn Carter was an extraordinary, extraordinary First Lady.  She was a champion for equal rights and opportunities for women and girls; an advocate for mental health and wellness for every person; and a supporter of the often unseen, uncompensated caregivers of our children, age \u2014 aging loved ones, and people with disabilities. <\/p>\n<p>The President and the First Lady are thinking of her and \u2014 and of \u2014 of him and keeping the Carter family in their prayers today, as well. <\/p>\n<p>As it relates to any potential travel, the President and the First Lady plan to pay respects to the former First Lady.  I don\u2019t have anything to share at this time on details or anything to confirm just yet.  But certainly, as we have information or more details to share, we certainly will share that with all of you. <\/p>\n<p>And as it relates to the lowered to half-staff \u2014 the flag be- \u2014 the flag being lowered to half-staff, yes, we will certainly do that.  And we certainly will follow \u2014 and we\u2019ll do that in accordance to \u2014 with protocols and details of \u2014 of when and how long that will happen.  We certainly will share that at an appropriate time. <\/p>\n<p>Q    I have one more \u2014 another topic.  How is the President planning to mark his birthday?  I ask because he mentioned it during the turkey pardoning.  It looks like he\u2019s got some family here.  Are they going to have, like, a party or a dinner?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, he\u2019s going \u2014 he\u2019s going to do what they normally do, how they celebrate the President\u2019s birth- \u2014 birthday.  There\u2019s a trandition \u2014 a tradition, pardon me, which they\u2019re going to keep to the \u2014 to that tradition, which is they\u2019ll be able to celebrate the President\u2019s birthday as a family together in Nantucket later this week and certainly will do that with coconut cake, which is something that they traditionally do.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Last year, we all remember the messy travel \u2014 holiday travel season.  I know the administration has taken steps to try to improve compensation for travelers who face delays and some other steps to hold airlines accountable.  How confident is the White House that Americans won\u2019t face those same kind of issues this travel season?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Well, it\u2019s hard to predict, obviously, but certainly we take this very seriously.  The Department of Transportation takes this very seriously.  And so, we\u2019re going to be \u2014 we\u2019re going to certainly keep eye on \u2014 on what\u2019s going on the next couple of days as \u2014 as Americans travel crisscross the country to get to their loved ones for Thanksgiving. <\/p>\n<p>And so, if any issues arise, obviously, we\u2019ll \u2014 the Department of Transportation, this administration will be on top of it. <\/p>\n<p>Hard to kind of surmise what that\u2019s going to look like.  But as you said, we\u2019ve taken this seriously, and we\u2019ve taken actions to work closely with airlines, to work closely with other transportation means \u2014 vehicles, if you will \u2014 to make sure that Americans get to where they need to safely, certainly on time, as I know they want to get to \u2014 on time.  And \u2014 and so, we\u2019ll certainly be vigilant and on top of it.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And if I could just ask one follow-up on Nancy\u2019s question.  Some advertisers have pulled their ads from X, formerly known as Twitter.  Is the White House at all considering suspending its official White House or the President\u2019s accounts on X given Elon Musk\u2019s comments?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, I don\u2019t have anything to announce at this time or any conversations \u2014 internal conversations on that particular question.  But we\u2019ve been very clear.  You heard from this White House after those abhorrent, as you heard from us, comments were made by \u2014 by Elon Musk, and we are going to continue \u2014 continue to certainly call that out, condemn those types of hateful, hateful comments that can be incredibly dangerous.  And so, we will \u2014 we won\u2019t stop doing that.<\/p>\n<p>I just don\u2019t have any internal conversations to \u2014 to read out or announcement to read out on that particular platform.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Has anyone here spoken to Musk?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I \u2014 I don\u2019t have any conversations to read out.  But we will continue to certainly condemn any type of hateful comments that, again, are dangerous.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, Steve.<\/p>\n<p>Q    How much more funding is available for Ukraine \u2014 the military packages?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, that is something I would certainly refer you to Department of Defense.  They\u2019ll have more information on \u2014 on the specifics on that \u2014 on your particular question. <\/p>\n<p>But, look, this is why we\u2019ve been very clear about the supplemental, about asking for additional Ukraine funding so that the people \u2014 the brave people of Ukraine continue to fight against the aggression that we\u2019ve been seeing from Russia, against \u2014 it\u2019s \u2014 they\u2019re fighting against tyranny, right?  They\u2019re fighting against terrorism, right?  When you think about Israel as well, what Israel then is doing in trying to fight against Hamas. <\/p>\n<p>And so, that\u2019s why that supplemental \u2014 that national security supplemental for both are incredibly important.  And we\u2019re going to continue to have those conversations with folks on the Hill about the importance of moving forward with the President\u2019s national security supplemental. <\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t have any specifics on how much money is left.  Certainly would refer you to Department of Defense.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And secondly, the Commission on Presidential Debates just announced dates and locations for the debates next year.  Will the President participate in them?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I would refer you to the campaign on that particular question.  Thanks, Steve<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, M.J.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Karine, what does the White House make of Democrats and particularly young people who say they do not approve of the President\u2019s handling of the Israel-Hamas war?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, look, as \u2014 I\u2019m going to be mindful, right, because there\u2019s going to be a number of polls that are going to come \u2014 be coming out, which, you know \u2014 obviously, which we respect, and, obviously, that is kind of the way that things go.  But what I\u2019ll be very clear about is we\u2019re going to \u2014 not going to govern by polls here.  We\u2019re going to \u2014 or poll numbers.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to focus on delivering for the American people.  That\u2019s going to be our focus.  We\u2019re going to focus on \u2014 on how the President is going to, we believe, continue to deliver for \u2014 deliver on what the American people sent him to do, right?  Whether it\u2019s the economy \u2014 let\u2019s not forget, when the President walked into this administration, the economy was at a tailspin, and that was because of what the last administration did.<\/p>\n<p>And so, we had \u2014 small businesses were shut down, we had \u2014 schools were \u2014 majority of schools were shut down, large jobs were lost, and the pandemic was not under con- \u2014 under control. <\/p>\n<p>Now, we understand so- \u2014 actions and the historic actions, legislations that this President has done is going to take some time.  It\u2019s going to take some time.  It\u2019s not like turning on a light switch for people to certainly feel that.<\/p>\n<p>But, look, as it relates to recent polling, look, we\u2019re going to focus on what we can do.  We\u2019re going to focus on governing.  We\u2019re going to focus on \u2014 on making sure we continue to deliver.  I\u2019m not going to go point by point on each poll.  But I just can speak to you about what our focus is going to be moving forward.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Then maybe, polling aside \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 can you say whether this White House has a theory of the case on how you win over young people, whether it\u2019s on this conflict specifically or generally?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, look, as \u2014 when we say \u201cwhen,\u201d going to be very careful, right?  I\u2019m not \u2014 don\u2019t \u2014 want to make sure I\u2019m not speaking to 2024.  That is something certainly that the campaign can analyze and speak to more broadly and how that looks for them and how it looks for that campaign, the President\u2019s reelection. <\/p>\n<p>What I can say is we\u2019re going to continue focusing on delivering for the American people.  That includes young people, right?  That includes making sure that we meet them where they are.  Whether it\u2019s student loans, whether it\u2019s an economy that works for all and does not leave them behind, those are the things that you see the President do day in and day out as we put forward policy, plans that include young people as well.<\/p>\n<p>You know, I\u2019m going to leave any of the analysis, any of the specifics to any poll to dozens of people, certainly on TV, right?  It\u2019s kind of a cottage industry out there.  They\u2019re going to analyze that.  They\u2019re going to speak to that, leave that to them \u2014 leave that to the campaign to speak to winning young people or anything that\u2019s related to 2024.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Do you know what the President makes of the fact that so many young people are opposed to \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I mean, I can tell you this: The President is focusing on the job at hand.  He truly is.  He\u2019s focusing on how we\u2019re going to deliver for the American people.  That is his focus, and that\u2019s what he\u2019s been truly steadfast about in the almost three years of this administration.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, Nancy.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Karine.  How closely is the White House tracking what\u2019s going on at OpenAI, one of the most powerful companies in the AI sphere \u2014 the revolt there, mass resignations.  And what does this mean for the recent executive order having to do with AI?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, on the first question, look, we\u2019re not going to comment on any private company.  We never do, especially as it\u2019s changing any \u2014 any personal decisions that \u2014 personnel decisions that they make and as they make those changes. <\/p>\n<p>As it relates to the executive order \u2014 a very comprehensive executive order that the President announced not too long ago on AI \u2014 our message to tech companies continues to be clear: They need to assure AI systems are safe before releasing them to the public.  We\u2019re going to continue to make that clear, have those conversations.  But as it relates to a personnel decision made by a private company, we\u2019re just not going to comment from here.<\/p>\n<p>Q    And then sticking with the tech theme, Twitter is back in the news \u2014 I mean, not Twitter \u2014 TikTok back in the news because of misinformation about the war, about Osama bin Laden.  It\u2019s now been more than two years that the CFIUS investigation has been underway.  Can you give us any kind of update on where that stands?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  As you know, it\u2019s an indep- \u2014 independent committee investigation.  Just don\u2019t have anything to comment on that \u2014 on CFIUS and where they are on that investigation.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, Jordan.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Karine.  The senators are having some talks this week about an immigration deal that would unlock Ukraine aid.  Is the White House planning to get involved with those, even sit on \u2014 sit in on them?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I\u2019m just not going to negotiate from here.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    You mentioned the President is excited to cele- \u2014 celebrating his birthday.  But I\u2019m curious \u2014 David Axelrod told the New York Times, quote, \u201cBiden thinks he can cheat nature here, and it\u2019s really risky.\u201d  A, what\u2019s the President\u2019s response to David Axelrod?  Does he respect his opinion?  Does he think he\u2019s right? <\/p>\n<p>But also, I mean, is there a real alarm happening behind the scenes that the President is simply too old to stick around for another four years? <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  No, there\u2019s no alarm happening behind the scenes.  Not \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    For Democrats?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  There \u2014 I \u2014 I can only speak \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Sure.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  \u2014 behind the scenes here.  There is no alarm happening behind the scenes.  And I\u2019m certainly not going to comment on everybody who has something to say. <\/p>\n<p>What I \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    But he\u2019s not nobody. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  What \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    I mean, David Axelrod is a \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I didn\u2019t \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    \u2014 is a \u2014 is \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I didn\u2019t say that.  I didn\u2019t \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    Yeah.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Nowhere in my response to you that I said that.  I said I\u2019m just not going to comment on everyone that has a \u2014 that has a comment to say.  They\u2019re going to speak for themselves.  I\u2019m going to speak for the President.<\/p>\n<p>And here will I \u2014 what I will say is: Look \u2014 and \u2014 and also, it\u2019s just not my job.  It\u2019s not my job to think \u2014 to think through or to \u2014 to tell people what to think.  Right?  Whether it\u2019s an Am- \u2014 the American \u2014 American people out there or \u2014 or a \u2014 a, you know, political analyst or \u2014 or as your question is about David Axelrod.  It\u2019s just not my \u2014 my place to speak to that.<\/p>\n<p>What I can speak to is how we see this, how what our perspective is.  Our perspective is that it\u2019s not about age.  It\u2019s about the President\u2019s experience.  That\u2019s what we believe. <\/p>\n<p>And it\u2019s \u2014 you know, as they say, the proof is in the pudding, right?  The President has used his experience to pass more bipartisan legislation in recent time than any other president.  That\u2019s just a fact.  That is something that we have seen this president do, and that\u2019s because of his experience. <\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s been able to manage multiple \u2014 multiple foreign policy challenges.  That\u2019s \u2014 he\u2019s been able to do that.  That\u2019s because of his experience. <\/p>\n<p>He\u2019s been able to create jobs, raise wages, and lower inflation.  Right?  And that is also \u2014 that is \u2014 the proof is in the pudding.  Right?  We see that in the data.  We see that where we are today \u2014 than where we are \u2014 than where we were when the President walked into the administration. <\/p>\n<p>So, what we say is: We have to judge him by what he\u2019s done, not by his numbers. <\/p>\n<p>And \u2014 and one more thing I will add: This is the first president ever that\u2019s been able to go to an active warzone without our military, you know, controlling what\u2019s happening on the ground. <\/p>\n<p>And so, look, I would put the President\u2019s stamina, the President\u2019s wisdom, ability to get this done on behalf of \u2014 of the American people against anyone \u2014 anyone on any day of the week.<\/p>\n<p>All right, go ahead. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Karine.  I just wanted to follow up.  I wondered if you had any update on whether the President or anybody else in the administration plans to attend the COP28 Summit in Dubai next week? <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I don\u2019t have any \u2014 we don\u2019t have anything to read out on his schedule. <\/p>\n<p>Go ahead, Karen. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks.  You just told Jordan you wouldn\u2019t negotiate on the supplemental from here, but you and Kirby \u2014 before, you had talked today just about how important it is to get this funding through.  So, now that Congress doesn\u2019t have an urgent deadline until next year because of the CR getting passed, how concerned is the White House that this is not going to get through in a timely matter \u2014 manner?  And what is the President going to do in the next couple of weeks to try to push this through?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, look, again, I\u2019m not going to get into negotiations from here, as you stated in your question.  But I will say this: There\u2019s a lot at stake.  There is.  There\u2019s a lot at stake, as you think about our national security and also our domestic needs.  So, it is crucial and it is important that we get this done. <\/p>\n<p>And so, we\u2019re going to continue to have conversations.  Our Legis- \u2014 Legislative Affairs shop here, our OMB director is going to continue to have legis- \u2014 have conversations with members of the Hill.  So, yeah, it is important. <\/p>\n<p>We wouldn\u2019t have put it forward if we didn\u2019t think it was needed.  Right?  These are emergency needs that we requested \u2014 when you think about the supplemental, both the domestic one and the national security.  So, obviously, we\u2019re going to continue to have that conversation.  We\u2019re going to continue to do it in a bipartisan way \u2014 do it both with Republicans and also Democrats on the Hill.  And so, we take this very seriously.  We wouldn\u2019t have put it forth if we didn\u2019t think it was needed.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Will we see the President get personally involved engaging with lawmakers right after the hol- \u2014 Thanksgiving holiday?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Don\u2019t have any \u2014 don\u2019t have any \u2014 any layout or readout about what \u2014 who the President is going to call. <\/p>\n<p>As you know, the President has personal relationships, long- \u2014 longtime relationships with many members in Congress.  And so, you know, certainly, he has done that before \u2014 reached out.  I just don\u2019t have any \u2014 I don\u2019t have a strategy to lay out or a list of folks that the President might or may not call.<\/p>\n<p>Go ahead.  Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Oh, thank \u2014 thank you, Karine.  Just following up on what Steven was asking about with regard to fentanyl of Admiral Kirby.  Can we expect some type of trilateral agreement between the U.S., Mexico, and China to tackle this issue? <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I don\u2019t \u2014 don\u2019t have anything at this time \u2014 any policy announcement to make at this time.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you. <\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Go ahead.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you, as always.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  (Laughs.)<\/p>\n<p>Q    I want to ask you about \u2014<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I might regret it, but go ahead.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>Q    I assure you, you will not.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>I want to ask you about polling.  In February, the President conducted an interview with, I believe, it was Telemundo.  And he was asked about the dismal state of his job approval ratings.  And he answered in words to this effect: \u201cDo you know anyone that believes the polling these days?\u201d  And he talked in some detail about the difficulty of getting people on the phone and compiling accurate polling. <\/p>\n<p>Whenever you\u2019re asked about the President\u2019s dismal job approval ratings, you say, \u201cWe\u2019re not going to look at polls; we look at his accomplishments.\u201d  And yet, when you are asked about various domestic policy initiatives, you will say, \u201cThese poll very well.  People support what the President wants to do.  If you look at the individual subjects on the polling, they support what the President\u2019s agenda is.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>So, once and for all, are only certain polls valid in your eyes \u2014 the ones that support your agenda?  Or sh- \u2014 is the polling data that shows that President Biden has been stuck for two years at the low 40s in his approval ratings, are those valid?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  So, here\u2019s the thing: I think it\u2019s important to share that American people do approve of some of the Pres- \u2014 President\u2019s initiatives.  I think it is important.  I think it\u2019s an important to \u2014 for the American people to hear that when it comes to Medicare and fighting \u2014 and fighting and being able to \u2014 Medicare to be able to lower costs for the American people.  I think it\u2019s important to share that.  I think it\u2019s important to share that this \u2014 that when it comes to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid, the American people care about that and want us to fight about that \u2014 fight for it, which is what the President \u2014<\/p>\n<p>Q    So, those polls are valid?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:   No, it\u2019s not \u2014 it\u2019s not that.  It\u2019s not that.  We are given \u2014 anytime I\u2019m asked this question, given an opportunity to speak on what the Pres- \u2014 what the American people want to hear and what we\u2019re doing, right?  And so, there are moments, just like when you ask me about certain polls, that I can say, \u201cHey, you know what?  That is something that the American people support.\u201d <\/p>\n<p>But in more broad terms, in general, we\u2019re not focused on every poll.  We just are not.  It is not important for us that we believe to focus on that.<\/p>\n<p>We\u2019re going to continue to do the work and work on protecting Medicare, Medicaid, and making sure that Social \u2013that Americans have their Social Security.  And I \u2014 and I think by saying that Americans support that, that is important for \u2014 for us to say that from here, too, because we are actually delivering for the American people.  We\u2019re actually doing what the American people want us to do. <\/p>\n<p>So, when I say that, that\u2019s what I\u2019m referring to: The work that we\u2019re doing, what we want to deliver on, what the American people care about.  And it is the economy.  It is lowering costs.  Right? <\/p>\n<p>I always talk about that: The President\u2019s number one priority is to continue to lower costs.  And I talked about what he has done, whether it\u2019s junk fees, whether it\u2019s making sure that people have good-paying jobs by making sure that we\u2019ve passed these historic legislation that\u2019s going to create good union paying [good-paying union] jobs.  All of those things \u2014 all of those things are connected.<\/p>\n<p>Q    So, the polls that show that the electorate at large and also significant majorities within the Democratic Party believe that the President is too old, the polls that show the American people and also significant majorities within the Democratic Party don\u2019t want him to run again, and the polls that show his handling of the economy, foreign policy \u2014 all of these dismal polls \u2014 his job approval ratings: Does the White House have any basis to challenge the accuracy of that polling?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  I never \u2014 we never challenged.  I\u2019m not challenging the accuracy here.  That\u2019s not what I\u2019m doing.<\/p>\n<p>What I\u2019m saying to you is that, you know, we\u2019re not going to change the minds of Americans.  I get that.  Americans are going to feel how they feel, and we\u2019re going to respect that.  And I\u2019ve said that many times from here \u2014 many times.  I said that moments ago.<\/p>\n<p>What I can tell you is what our perspective is.  What I can tell you is how we see things.  And we believe experienced \u2014 this President having experience to get things done is important. <\/p>\n<p>And we know that it\u2019s going to take some time \u2014 right? \u2014 for Americans to feel what we have been able to do in this administration: pushing through bipartisan legislation that is historic. <\/p>\n<p>And as I mentioned earlier before, this is a president who has done more bipartisan legislation than any other recent president.  And so, that\u2019s what I can speak to.<\/p>\n<p>I can speak to our perspective.  I can speak to how we see this.  I can speak to what is important and how we\u2019re going to try to deliver for the American people. <\/p>\n<p>And I will say this: You know, just a couple of just data points here \u2014 I\u2019m going to be careful not to talk about the 20- \u2014 2024 \u2014 any of the elections.  But I could look back in history, right?  I can look back and see where Obama was a year \u2014 President Obama was a year out of \u2014 of his election, where President Clinton was a year out ahead of his election, and it didn\u2019t look like they were going to \u2014 they were going to win.  Right?  It didn\u2019t look like that.<\/p>\n<p>And so, it is not unusual.  You\u2019re talking about dismal polling; it is not unusual for a president to be where they are ahead of that. <\/p>\n<p>And so, look, the President is going to focus \u2014 this is something that I can tell you for sure: He\u2019s going to focus on the American people.  That is always, always the number one priority for this president, and that\u2019s what you\u2019re going to see him continue to do.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you, Karine.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  All right.  I\u2019m going to wrap it up.  Thanks, everybody.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thank you. <\/p>\n<p>Q    Happy Thanksgiving.<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  Happy Thanksgiving, everyone.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Thanks, Karine.<\/p>\n<p>Q    Are you briefing tomorrow, Karine?<\/p>\n<p>MS. JEAN-PIERRE:  (Shakes head no.)  You\u2019re welcome.  (Laughter.)<\/p>\n<p>2:31 P.M. EST<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Washington, DC&#8230;Oh, where is everybody? Oh, it\u2019s holidays. Well, good afternoon, everyone. Good afternoon, everybody. Q Good afternoon! MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughs.) Happy Monday. All right. This Thanksgiving, we have a lot to be thankful for. While inflation caused by the pandemic and Russia\u2019s war continues to be a challenge, we have seen important progress. Just [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":169946,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_cbd_carousel_blocks":"[]","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[20,5,1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-169945","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-featured","category-government","category-news","last_archivepost"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/11\/Fullscreen-capture-11212023-101250-AM.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack-related-posts":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169945","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=169945"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169945\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":169947,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/169945\/revisions\/169947"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/169946"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=169945"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=169945"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/new.thepinetree.net\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=169945"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}