Biden’s first press conference tackles filibuster, immigration, Afghanistan

During his first press conference since taking office, Joe Biden says it’s his ‘expectation’ to run for re-election.

US President Joe Biden answers a question during his first press briefing in the East Room of the White House in Washington.

President Biden signalled support for changes to the legislative filibuster, said the US was unlikely to meet a May deadline to withdraw troops from Afghanistan and defended his approach to the southern border, while setting a new goal for Covid-19 vaccinations.

In an hour-long press conference, his first since taking office, Mr Biden repeated his call for a reform to Senate procedure, saying he strongly supports a return to the so-called talking filibuster, which requires senators to remain on the floor in objection to legislation. He said it is possible he would support going beyond that.

“We’re going to get a lot done, and if we have to, if there’s complete lockdown and chaos as a consequence of the filibuster, then we’ll have to go beyond what I’m talking about,” Mr Biden said, without offering specifics. Later, he said he agreed with former President Barack Obama that the filibuster is a “relic of the Jim Crow era” but didn’t say what other changes he would support.

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R., Ky.) this week disputed the filibuster had a racial history and said that Democrats had used it in the past. He has threatened to grind the Senate to a halt if Democrats make changes. Some Democrats want to eliminate the rule that requires 60 votes in the Senate for most legislation, but others in the party have objected to getting rid of the filibuster.

On Afghanistan, Mr Biden said he didn’t expect US troops would still be in the country in 2022, but he was equivocal about the timeline for a withdrawal.

“We will leave, the question is when we leave,” Mr Biden said of Afghanistan, following questions about a deal to exit by May 1 that was reached under former President Donald Trump. There are at least 2,500 U.S. troops in Afghanistan.

Mr Biden criticised Republicans for pushing legislation that he said could make it more difficult for the public to vote in some states. “This makes Jim Crow look like Jim Eagle,” he said of the state voting proposals. Republicans say that election rules should be left in the hands of the states.

The president, 78, said he expects to run for re-election and touted his legislative agenda. The press conference came as his administration deals with a surge of migrants crossing the southern border and after mass shootings in Georgia and Colorado that have revived a debate about gun restrictions.

Facing growing bipartisan pressure over the situation at the border, the administration is ramping up its diplomatic efforts and racing to find more shelter space to house children as it tries to tackle the surge of asylum seekers without turning to the aggressive deterrence strategies of previous administrations.

Casting his approach as humane, Mr Biden said he would make “no apologies” for reversing some of Mr Trump’s policies.

“What we’re doing now is attempting to rebuild the system that can accommodate what is happening today,” he said, adding that he doesn’t think the increase in migrants is due to his presidency. “And I’d like to think it’s because I’m a nice guy, but it’s not, it’s because of what’s happened every year.” He said all those crossing the border illegally except children should be sent home. “We’re in negotiations with the president of Mexico,” he said. “I think we’re going to see that change. They should all be going back.” Mr Biden declined to say whether he would reverse heavy tariffs imposed against China by Mr Trump and didn’t get into details of his broader strategy, other than to say the US sought competition and would work with allies and to strengthen American industries.

Then President Donald Trump (top) taking questions from reporters during a news conference in February 2017 and US President Joe Biden (bottom) during his first press briefing in the same East Room today.

China’s goal is to be the wealthiest and most powerful country in the world, he said, adding: “That’s not going to happen on my watch because the United States is going to continue to grow and expand.”

Mr Biden also set a new goal of administering 200 million Covid-19 shots by the end of his first 100 days in office as he tries to control a pandemic that has left millions unemployed and more than 545,000 dead.

Entering office, Mr Biden pledged the US would administer 100 million vaccinations in his first 100 days. That target, which he set as the US was already close to administering 1 million shots a day, was reached earlier this month. Mr Biden has a little over a month left before the end of that period, and the US administered an average of 2.5 million doses a day over the past week. If that rate holds, the 200-million mark should be hit before Mr Biden’s 100th day in office.

The president also urged Republicans to work with him to pass his legislative agenda, which includes a coming multi-trillion-dollar economic, climate-change and infrastructure package, as well as measures on immigration and guns.

“Here’s the deal: I think my Republican colleagues are going to have to determine whether or not we want to work together or decide that the way in which they want to proceed is to just decide to divide the country, to continue the politics of division,” he said.

On North Korea, which this week launched a ballistic missile in a widely seen provocation of the Biden administration, Mr Biden said: “There will be responses if they choose to escalate.” Still, he quickly said he’d seek diplomatic solutions and work with allies. He said he agreed with Mr Obama that North Korea is the top national security threat.

The news conference came on Mr Biden’s 65th day in office, later than his recent predecessors held theirs. Mr Biden has fielded questions from reporters at the end of events and while leaving the White House. Due to Covid-19 restrictions, only 40 journalists were permitted in the East Room.

Ken Thomas contributed to this article.

The Wall Street Journal