Washington: US President Joe Biden made an uncommon appearance in the White House press room following a positive jobs report and a temporary end to the port workers’ strike. For the first time during his term, he fielded questions from the White House press corps on a variety of topics, including the 2024 election, the economy, and the Middle East conflict.
Biden voiced concerns about the forthcoming presidential election, stressing his belief in its fairness but expressing apprehension about a peaceful transition due to remarks by former President Donald Trump. “What Trump has said is incredibly dangerous,” Biden remarked, cautioning of potential complications.
“I am certain the election will be free and fair. Whether it will be peaceful, I cannot say,” Biden stated. “The comments made by Trump, especially his reaction to the previous election results, were quite perilous.”
The latest jobs report indicated the creation of 254,000 new jobs and reduced unemployment to 4.1%. Despite this, Biden faced scepticism from Republicans who labelled some figures as “fabricated.” Biden robustly defended the statistics, asserting that economic expansion continues despite observed low consumer confidence.
Senator Marco Rubio, R-Fla., criticized the administration on social media, saying, “Another fabricated jobs report from the Biden-Harris administration today. However, no number of manipulated figures can deceive the public, who are enduring the Biden-Harris economic calamity daily.”
With escalating tensions in the Middle East, Biden responded to inquiries regarding potential Israeli strikes on Iranian oil facilities, advising that Israel consider alternative strategies. He also reiterated his collaborative efforts with Vice President Kamala Harris on both foreign and domestic policies.
