Biden stands by Putin removal comment but insists he’s not changing policy
President Joe Biden returned home on Sunday fighting off criticism from world leaders and experts for the unscripted shot the president took at Vladimir Putin over the weekend in which he remarked that the Russian president “cannot remain in power”. The comments, which many critics say could inflame tensions and harden Mr Putin’s resolve, seemed to distract from what would otherwise be considered a successful four-day trip to Europe.
Biden aides swiftly came in over the weekend to walk back the president’s comments, explaining in interviews that Mr Biden had not been calling for a regime change in Russia but had rather been underscoring that Mr Putin “cannot be allowed to exercise power over his neighbours or the region,” one administration official told reporters.
The president’s remarks were made as he toured Poland, where he warned Russia not to tread one inch on a Nato ally’s soil.
The president returned home to an administration struggling to earn back the electorate’s goodwill. Mr Biden’s approval ratings have continued to bottom out on issues that matter most to voters, such as the economy, the ongoing pandemic and an increasingly complicated foreign policy crisis.
‘I’m not walking anything back’
President Joe Biden refused to back down from comments he made this weekend saying Russian President Vladimir Putin cannot remain in power, but insisted that he was not advocating for a change in policy.
Mr Biden made the remarks when speaking to reporters after announcing his new budget proposal. His remarks come after he said over the weekend, “For God’s sake, this man cannot remain in power.” The move set off a diplomatic scramble as there were concerns Mr Biden was advocating for regime change.
“I’m not walking anything back,” he told NBC News reporter Kelly O’Donnell. “The fact of the matter is, I was expressing the moral outrage I felt toward the way Putin is dealing and the actions of this man.”
Eric Garcia reports from Washington, DC.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 20:39
Biden on Justice Thomas
Asked about whether Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas should recuse himself from any cases related to the 2020 election given his wife’s text messages with then-White House chief of staff Mark Meadows, the president demurred saying: “I leave that to two entities. One, the January 6 Committee, and two the Justice Department.”
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 20:27
Biden asked about Putin remarks
“Number one – I’m not walking anything back,” President Joe Biden says when asked about his comments in Warsaw that “that man [Putin] can’t remain in power”.
“I was expressing the moral outrage I felt, I wasn’t articulating a policy change,” he added.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 20:16
Biden says 2023 budget proposal will fund not defund police
President Joe Biden when outlining his budget includes more funding for law enforcement.
“The answer is not to defund our police departments. It’s to fund our police and give them all the tools they need,” he says.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 20:15
Watch live as Biden outlines 2023 budget with big increases for police and military
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 20:03
Lowering the deficit, raising taxes on the richest
President Joe Biden released a budget blueprint Monday that calls for higher taxes on the wealthy, lower federal deficits, more money for police and greater funding for education, public health and housing.
In essence, it tries to tell voters what a diverse and at times fractured Democratic party stands for.
The bottom line: Biden is proposing a total of $5.8 trillion in federal spending in fiscal 2023, which begins in October, slightly less than what was projected to be spent this year before the supplemental spending bill was signed into law this month. The deficit would be $1.15 trillion.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 20:01
Standing by for President Biden’s remarks on his federal budget proposal after which he will take questions from reporters.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 19:56
Pelosi calls out ‘cruel’ and harmful DeSantis bill
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi has responded to Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signing the so-called “Don’t Say Gay” bill into law.
Ms Pelosi wrote: “This cruel legislation is an affront to our Nation’s cherished values and sends a harmful message to our children. @GovRonDeSantis and Florida Republicans have chosen to needlessly bully, isolate and demean LGBTQ students.”
She added: “I am deeply moved by the thousands of students who have spoken up and walked out to protest this bigoted legislation. @HouseDemocrats proudly stand with them, and we will continue fighting to enact long-overdue protections for LGBTQ Americans – starting with the #EqualityAct.”
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 19:02
Voices: Clarence and Ginni Thomas have put Democrats in a terrible bind
When it comes to the Supreme Court, Democrats are on thin enough ice as it is — and they know it, writes Eric Garcia.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 18:42
Sanders says president has ‘done his job’ with budget
Senate Budget Chair Bernie Sanders says the US does not need a massive increase in military spending as per President Joe Biden’s 2023 budget, but adds that it is now up to Congress to review the proposal and improve upon it.
Oliver O’Connell28 March 2022 18:33