Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo | Eastern North Carolina Now

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: That's a good question. I can go back and actually ask to see if they have a prior relationship. But I do want to say this, as we talk about the change that's happening - the new Prime Minister: Our countries have a close, longstanding, special relationships as friends and NATO Allies. And we are looking forward to continued close cooperation on key priorities, including supporting Ukraine as it defends itself against Russian aggression and addressing the challenges posed by China.

    So we see our relationship not just with the leadership, but also the people of the UK.

    Q Karine, is the President planning to call -

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I'm going to try and call on people who I haven't called.

    Q Is the President planning to call the President of Kenya, the new (inaudible) - President-elect of Kenya?

    Q Thanks, Karine. I want to ask you about the question about migrants and whether they have or haven't been walking across the southwest border. Senator Ted Cruz has publicly invited, suggested that you come down to see that for yourself.

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Who? Wait, who?

    Q Senator Ted Cruz of Texas. He's - he's suggested that you come down and see for yourself whether migrants are actually crossing the border by foot. Is that something that you would take him up on?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So I've been to the border. I went in 2018. I stood outside facilities where the Trump administration was separating families, tearing babies out of their mothers' arms. Some of those kids still haven't been reunited with their families.

    And so, one thing I will say is I certainly don't need lectures or invitations from Republicans about the border or border policies. And - you know, and I certainly won't take advice on border from anyone who voted against securing record level of funding for the Department of Homeland Security.

    And - and, you know, and while folks are sending invites, I'll use this opportunity to - to invite him or anyone else next time to vote for record funding for DHS, as President Biden has requested. So we'll move on.

    Q And -

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Nope, we'll move on from that.

    Q And - quick question. On the migrants who drowned last week near Eagle Pass, what is the administration doing to avert those kinds of tragedies?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So that is a tragic - that is tragic when we hear news like that. Our hearts go out to the families certainly. And - and that is what we try to work very hard to do: to secure the border and make sure that we don't see those types of - those tragedies and heartbreaks.

    So, I know the Department of Homeland Security is working very hard on - to continuing to secure our border, to do work that was not done in the past several years. And so we're going to continue to focus on that.

    Okay. Go ahead.

    Q Karine, a question on Kenya.

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Go ahead. Kenya. What's - what's going on?

    Q Since you just spoke about the President calling the new Prime Minister of the UK, is he planning to call the President-elect of Kenya after it was affirmed - his victory was affirmed by the supreme court yesterday? And is he also planning to call the new President of Angola - the President and the President-elect (inaudible)?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So I don't have - I spoke to Angola a couple of times last week. And the President actually took a question, I know, on Angola, specifically, about 10 days or so.

    On - on Kenya, I'll say this: We congratulate William Ruto on his election as President of Kenya. We also congratulate the people of Kenya on the conclusion of a peaceful electoral process. We commend Raila Odinga and other candidates for abiding by the supreme court filing. Transparent electoral processes and the peaceful adjudication of disputes are testaments to the strength of democratic institutions.

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    The United States and Kenya share a strong and longstanding partnership based on a commitment to democracy, security, economic prosperity. We look forward to enhancing this partnership with President Ruto and his new government.

    I don't have any calls to read out or preview for you at this time.

    Q And then, on Ethiopia: Last Friday, you talked about the special envoy, Michael Hammer, going to Ethiopia. The main problem in Ethiopia right now, especially around Tigray, is about the blockade that's been there for almost 21 months.

    Is the President, is the special envoy going to press Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed Ali to lift the blockade and grant access to the 6 million people who have been sealed off?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So I'm not going to get ahead of the special envoy. I know we announced that, as you mentioned, last week. I'm not going to get into any conversation that he may potentially have.

    Clearly, this is a priority for this President. And when we will have more to share, we'll share more. I got to -

    Q Can -

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I got to jump around.

    Q One last question.

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, no. I got to jump around. I got to jump around. Go ahead. Go ahead.

    Q Thank you so much. I've got a question on Israel and Iran tensions. Israel is on high alert, and the Prime Minister of Israel has talked about taking unilateral action against Iran's nuclear program. Will the Biden administration back any Israeli action against Iran's nuclear program? And can you update us a little bit on the Mossad chief? He's in town. Who has he been meeting with? What's he been doing?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, don't have anything to share about Mossad being in town. It had been announced several weeks now that he would be. Don't have more to share on that.

    Look, I'm going to - when it comes to the JCPOA, you know, I'm going to keep it very, very simple here. We've said this many times: We have taken a deliberate and principled approach to these negotiations from the start. If Iran is prepared to comply with comments - with its commitments under 2015 deal, then we are prepared to do the same.

    The administration, along with our allies, is preparing equally for scenarios with or - and without a mutual return to the - to the full implementation of the JCPOA.

    The President will only conclude a deal that he determines in the national security interest of the United States. Again, not going to negotiate, not going to have conversations or hypotheticals of what may or may not happen. We have been very clear about what we intend here, and it's to make sure that Iran does not acquire a nuclear weapon. And that is our ultimate goal here.

    Q Can I follow up on President Abbas?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay, no, we're just going to - we're going to move around because I literally have two minutes.

    Go ahead.

    Q I actually want to follow up on the Iran nuclear deal question.

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay.

    Q What is the timeline that President Biden is looking at before the State Department diplomats sort of say "time's up"?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So I don't have a timeline for you. I can give you an update on the status of the negotiations.

    Look, it's a regular back-and-forth. As we have said, we are studying the response in coordination with our E3 allies. As you know, we have received a response. Again, we're not going to negotiate in public. Some gaps have closed in recent weeks but others have remained.

    As you all know, the President will only, again, conclude a deal that he determines is in the national security interest of the United States. I'm not - I'm not going to get into further detail or negotiate from here.

    I can take one last question. One last question.

    Q Can I ask about Shireen, my colleague? Can you - you read the message - the statement about Shireen Abu Akleh. The administration continues to talk about accountability, but there hasn't been any. There have been no charges. What is the Biden administration going to do to press for accountability? What steps are going to be taken?

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So what I can tell you is that we have been - we have been in constant communication, we have been very public about making sure that there is accountability. The U.S. Security Coordinator - the USCC, as it relates to the investigation, finding that there was no reason to believe the killing was intentional and it was instead the result of tragic circumstances is based on a series of engagements and a review of the totality of the available evidence, situational and environmental factors.

    Again, you know, our profound condolences go to the family. We hear their concerns. We understand their concerns. The examin- - examination was conducted by two members, again, of the USCC with over 42 combined years of forensic expertise.

    In addition to the forensic and bal- - ballistic analysis, the USCC was granted full access to both Israel Defense Forces and Palestinian Authority investigation. By summarizing both investigation, the USCC concluded that gunfire from IDF positions was likely responsible for the death of Shireen Abu Akleh. The USCC found no reason to believe that this was intentional but rather the result of tragic circumstances.

    Again, you know, our hearts go out to the family members.

    And I'm - I have to go. It's 1:03.

    Q But just very quickly -

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I'll be back tomorrow. I'll be -

    Q This isn't accountability. I - how do journalists in this room read this? I mean, it feels almost like our government doesn't have our back, that an ally can - can kill an American journalist with impunity.

    MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I disagree. I disagree. One thing that this President has been very clear about making sure that we stand up for a journalist; we stand up for the freedom that they should be given in order to report, whether it's here or across the globe. And - and the President has always been clear about fighting for human rights. That will never change.

    He has talked about it boldly and clearly. And - and he's talked about it with leaders as well. So that is something that he respects - the freedom of speech - and he'll continue to speak to that.

    All right, guys. I got to go.

END  •  1:05 P.M. EDT


    KARINE JEAN-PIERRE

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