Remarks by President Biden in Press Gaggle
The Crossing at Tahoe Valley
South Lake Tahoe, California
12:41 P.M. PDT
Q Mr. President, are you concerned about a potential UAW strike, sir?
Q Mr. President —
THE PRESIDENT: I’ve been talking to the UAW. Obviously, I’m concerned. I think that there should be a circumstance where the jobs that are being displaced and replaced with new jobs, they should go to the — the first choice should go to the UAW members that have had the job and the salary should be commensurate.
Q Mr. President —
Q Have you seen Donald Trump’s mugshot yet?
THE PRESIDENT: (Laughs.)
Q Mr. President, are you worried at all about the —
THE PRESIDENT: I — I did see it on television.
Q What did you think?
THE PRESIDENT: Handsome guy. Won- — wonderful guy.
Q With Prigozhin, what — what brought down his airplane? Have you gotten any solid information about that?
THE PRESIDENT: I’m not at liberty to speak to that precisely. But as you know, because you and I have talked about this —
Q Yes, sir.
THE PRESIDENT: — I find no surprise in what happened. But we’re trying to nail down precisely. I don’t have anything to say to you about that right now.
Q Okay.
Q Mr. President, can you say anything about the uptick of COVID cases and the new variant?
THE PRESIDENT: Yes, I can. As a matter of fact, I signed off this morning on a proposal we have to present to the Congress a request for additional funding for a new vaccine that is ne- — necessary — that works. And tentatively — not decided finally yet — tentatively, it is recommended that — it will likely be recommended that everybody get it no matter whether they’ve gotten it before or not.
Q What was your take of the Republican debate on Wednesday night?
THE PRESIDENT: Let me choose my words. I — I don’t — I don’t remember them speaking to any of the issues. I mean, there was a lot of talk, but what are they going to do to deal with economic growth? What are they going to do to deal with the notion that — maintaining the job pace that we have now? What are they going to do deal with education? They talk about education like it was a — I mean, (inaudible) getting rid of the Department of Education, cut 100,000 teachers. I mean, I don’t — I don’t quite get where they’re going.
I kept trying to figure out — I didn’t watch the whole debate. I was on a phone call for part of it. But I — I didn’t learn much.
Q Did you watch Trump’s speech with Tucker Carlson?
THE PRESIDENT: No, I didn’t. I didn’t have — (laughs) — I didn’t have an interest or an inclination.
Q Mr. President, on your — on your supplemental request to Congress, there are some Republicans who want to split up the disaster aid and Ukraine aid. Is that a possibility to you at all to make sure some sort of money passes Congress? Because they have a concern with the Ukraine aid.
THE PRESIDENT: None.
Q Mr. President, are you planning to sit for an interview with the special counsel looking into the documents matter?
THE PRESIDENT: I have — there’s no such request and no such interest.
MS. DALTON: Thanks, guys.
Q Thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: Okay.
Q How much of the debate did you see, Mr. President?
THE PRESIDENT: I probably di- —
Q An hour or so?
THE PRESIDENT: I mean, I was in and out, getting a call. But probably what I saw consecutively — I probably saw at least an hour and 20 minutes of it.
Q Well, that’s about most of it. You got the gist of it.
THE PRESIDENT: Well, you know what I mean. You know — no, I got the gist. (Laughter.)
MS. DALTON: Thanks, guys.
Q How are you liking Tahoe, sir? How are you liking Tahoe?
THE PRESIDENT: I tell you: If I had your biceps, I would feel better. (Laughter.)
MS. DALTON: Okay. Truly, thank you.
THE PRESIDENT: I’ve been to Tahoe before. Not here, but I’ve been out here a number of times when Harry Reid was the Leader and a senator campaigning for a lot of the candidates.
It’s magnificent. It’s magnificent.
Thank you all so very much.
Q Thank you.
12:45 P.M. PDT
