White House press secretary Jen Psaki said on Friday that President Biden had not held a single press conference during his first 45 days in office because he was engaging in “historic crises” related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Psaki defended a reporter’s questions about why Biden did not hold an early-term question-and-answer forum – in a break from his recent predecessors – by pointing to Biden’s occasional two questions with reporters.
“He answered questions. I believe the score is almost 40 times. And I would say that his focus is once again on recovery and relief for the American people, and he looks forward to continuing with you all and members of the other members of the media who are not here today, and we see then to let you know as soon as the press conference is over, ‘Psaki said at her daily press conference.
Psaki was roasted by reporters on Friday over a growing migrant crisis on the Mexican border. Republicans say Biden caused the crisis by easing former President Donald Trump’s policy on asylum and illegal immigration.
Other presidents took office during historic crises, but held press conferences. Former President Barack Obama, for example, inherited a crisis in the financial system, but on February 9, 2009, he held his first press conference in less than three weeks.
“We look forward to holding a full press conference in the coming weeks before the end of the month, and we are working to set a final date for that, and as soon as we do, we will let you all know,” said Psaki. .
“But this president came during a historic crisis – two historic crises, a pandemic that the country has not seen in decades and decades and an economic downturn that has left 10 million people out of work.”
Unlike Trump, who regularly asked so many questions that reporters at the pool no longer asked, Biden usually takes at most one or two questions during events in the West Wing or during his departure to South Lawn.
Shortly after Psaki’s press conference, Biden did not ask a reporter’s question about when he would unveil an infrastructure bill after speaking in the White House about a surprisingly strong monthly report on work.