President Joe Biden’s early priorities are to unite the country against him, an adviser to former President Donald Trump said on Saturday.
“Does any normal person currently in this country think that the highest priority is to ensure that we do not deport criminal illegal aliens who have committed violent offenses against American citizens?” Stephen Miller, who has been an adviser to Trump for four years, said during an appearance in Fox News’ “Watters World.”
Miller also referred to Biden’s executive orders to cancel the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline and rejoin the Paris climate agreement.
‘Whose priorities are these? “These are the priorities of a narrow group of special leftists, who have jobs and wealth and security, and who look down on everyday citizens who just want to lead a better, safer, healthier life,” Miller said.
While Biden has promised to unite the country, he has so far “united Democrats, Republicans and Independents against his open border agenda”, Miller added.
The White House did not respond to a request for comment.
White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters after Biden signed a wave of orders on the day of the inauguration that Biden would “rule for all Americans”.
“It must, of course, be backed up by action, as you communicated,” she added. “But he’s going to risk it – in every policy he follows, every commitment he has, because he feels we will be a stronger country if we can come together.”
Some groups of voters who endorsed Biden announced their opposition to some of the orders he signed during his first term.
The Laborers’ International Union of North America cheered when Biden won the election. But the union rejected the cancellation of the Keystone pipeline, saying it would “kill thousands of well-paid unions.” The United Association of Union Plumbers and Pipefitters also opposed the cancellation.
Biden’s moratorium on new oil leasing and drilling permits has also drawn criticism.
“During his inauguration, President Biden spoke about bringing our people together. “Eliminating drilling on public lands will cost thousands of New Mexicans their jobs and destroy what is left of our state’s economy,” Carlsbad Mayor Dale Janway told the Associated Press. “How does that bring us together? Environmental efforts must be fair and thoroughly researched, not knee-jerk mandates that harm an already impoverished state.