On Tuesday, Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre held a White House press briefing with United States Trade Representative Katherine Tai.
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NewsTranscript
00:00 [SIDE CONVERSATION]
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00:56 All right, all right, everybody.
00:59 All right.
01:00 Good afternoon, everyone.
01:01 Good afternoon.
01:03 Hi.
01:04 It's raining outside.
01:08 OK.
01:09 So as you just saw today, the president
01:11 directed his trade representative
01:13 to increase tariffs under Section 301 of the Trade Act
01:17 of 1974 on $18 billion of imports from China.
01:22 This action will protect American workers and businesses
01:26 from China's unfair trade practices.
01:28 As you heard, the president often
01:31 say American workers and businesses
01:33 can out-compete anyone as long as the competition is fair.
01:39 Our US trade representative, Ambassador Catherine Tai,
01:42 is here to share more on the president's announcement
01:45 and take some of your question.
01:46 And with that, I will turn it over to Ambassador Tai.
01:49 Welcome to the briefing room for the first time.
01:51 Thank you so much.
01:54 Well, good afternoon, everyone.
01:55 President Biden has consistently been clear
01:58 that he will take action to defend American workers
02:01 and businesses from the unfair trade
02:03 practices of the People's Republic of China.
02:06 Today, he is once again keeping that promise.
02:10 President Biden and I both know that American workers
02:13 and businesses can out-compete anyone as long
02:16 as the competition is fair.
02:18 But for too long, the PRC has been
02:21 playing by a different set of rules
02:23 with unfair and anti-competitive economic practices.
02:27 Those unfair practices include forced technology transfer,
02:32 including cyber hacking and cyber theft;
02:36 non-market policies, such as targeting industrial sectors
02:39 for dominance, labor rights suppression,
02:42 and weak environmental protection;
02:44 and flooding markets worldwide with artificially cheap
02:48 products that wipe out the competition.
02:51 The President's action today is a part of his vision
02:54 to rebuild our supply chains and our ability
02:58 to make things in America, to lower costs,
03:02 out-compete the PRC, and encourage
03:05 the elimination of practices that undercut American workers
03:08 and businesses.
03:10 We are doing that by investing in manufacturing and clean
03:14 energy here at home and raising tariffs
03:16 to protect these investments.
03:19 I conducted a statutory review of the PRC's forced technology
03:24 transfer and other intellectual property-related practices,
03:28 which were the subject of the 2018 Section 301 investigation.
03:32 In that review, I found that the PRC continues
03:35 to deploy these unfair trade practices,
03:38 and I conveyed my findings to the President
03:41 in a report, which is available on the USTR website.
03:46 It is clear that the previous administration's trade
03:48 deal with the PRC failed to increase American exports
03:52 or boost manufacturing.
03:54 In fact, China's exports in some critical sectors, like EVs
03:58 and batteries, actually increased.
04:01 In response, President Biden today
04:03 signed a memorandum directing me to increase tariffs
04:07 on critical manufacturing and mining sectors,
04:10 including steel and aluminum, semiconductors,
04:13 electric vehicles, batteries, solar cells,
04:17 and certain critical minerals.
04:19 The increased tariffs are expected
04:21 to cover approximately $18 billion of trade.
04:26 The President also directed a process
04:29 to request excluding certain production machinery
04:32 from the tariffs to permit solar and clean manufacturers
04:37 to purchase equipment while diversifying their suppliers.
04:41 Next week, I expect to issue a public notice that
04:44 conveys the specific tariff lines, tariff rates,
04:48 and timing for the proposed increases,
04:51 along with the details of the machinery exclusions process.
04:56 This strong action by the President is strategic.
04:59 As he has said, we do not seek to constrain
05:03 China's economic development, but we
05:05 will insist on fair competition and defend American workers
05:10 from the PRC's unfair practices.
05:13 Today's direction by the President
05:15 defends American workers and businesses
05:17 from the PRC's artificially cheap products,
05:20 whether EVs or steel or critical minerals or semiconductors.
05:25 I also want to emphasize that we continue
05:27 to consult with our partners and our allies, who
05:30 face similar threats from the PRC's unfair trade practices
05:34 and are also voicing their concern
05:36 with those unfair practices and taking action.
05:40 Our partners are essential to addressing
05:43 the broader threat to our working families
05:45 and businesses.
05:47 Today's strong tariff announcement
05:49 is an important part of President Biden's worker-centered
05:52 trade policy, which is about using trade to empower workers
05:57 and making sure that they can compete fairly and thrive
06:02 and supports the historic investments we have already
06:05 made here at home.
06:06 I can now take your questions.
06:10 Thank you, Ambassador.
06:11 First, there seems to be some confidence
06:14 that these tariffs won't cause the competition to slide
06:17 into conflict with China.
06:19 If you could just explain a little bit
06:21 about why you are so confident.
06:23 And then secondly, BYD is looking
06:27 to build EV factories in Mexico that could flood the US market.
06:32 Why isn't the administration preemptively announcing tariffs
06:36 to hit these vehicles?
06:38 So you actually asked two questions.
06:40 I did.
06:41 Yes.
06:41 So let me begin with the first, which
06:43 is that we've been very, very clear
06:46 about the strategic nature of this tariff review process
06:51 and the focus on ensuring that the actions that are announced
06:55 will be effective in leveling the playing field,
06:58 giving our workers and our businesses the chance
07:01 to continue to compete and to thrive
07:04 against an onslaught of really, really challenging measures
07:08 and a challenging economic system that
07:10 is coming from Beijing.
07:12 We have been clear about this with the American public.
07:15 We have also been equally clear about this
07:17 with our counterparts in Beijing.
07:19 Every single one of us, from the president on down,
07:23 over the course of the last three years,
07:25 have made clear the challenges that we are facing,
07:27 the nature of that challenge, and the need for us to act.
07:31 Because we know what happens if we don't act
07:34 and we don't defend.
07:36 We will see the same patterns repeated over and over again.
07:40 So what we are doing today should by no means
07:44 be a surprise to our counterparts in Beijing.
07:46 We have made clear this is not about escalation.
07:50 This is about the consequences of decades of economic policy
07:54 and the need for the United States to defend our rights.
07:58 And the second question.
08:00 And the second question was on EVs and BYD in Mexico.
08:06 At USTR, that is exactly what we are built to worry about
08:09 and to be concerned with.
08:11 That will require a separate pathway.
08:15 This is about imports from China.
08:18 What you're talking about would be imports from Mexico.
08:21 Equally important, something that we
08:22 are talking to our industry, our workers, and our partners
08:25 about.
08:26 And I would just ask you to stay tuned.
08:30 Thanks, Ambassador.
08:31 When Trump hiked tariffs on Chinese goods,
08:34 it led to some increased prices for US customers.
08:37 How can you be sure the same thing won't happen again?
08:40 First of all, I think that that link in terms of tariffs
08:44 to prices has been largely debunked.
08:46 What I would say is that what the President has instructed
08:51 that we do is to focus on making our supply
08:55 chains more resilient.
08:56 That means we need more options.
08:58 That means here in America, we need
09:00 to have more manufacturing capacity.
09:03 Resilient supply chains means that we
09:06 will be able to insulate the American economy from the kinds
09:11 of price spikes and the inflationary dynamics
09:13 that we have seen that have come primarily from the supply chain
09:17 challenges we've experienced, first from the pandemic,
09:20 next from Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
09:22 If you think back to March of 2020
09:25 and you think about how much a face mask cost,
09:29 it's a trick question.
09:30 The answer is you did not have enough money
09:33 to buy a face mask because there just weren't enough
09:36 in the world to go around.
09:38 So it is with that in mind that these actions are being taken.
09:42 It is, in fact, to address those types of challenges
09:45 that no one wants to experience again.
09:47 The US government is subsidizing the EV industry here
09:50 pretty significantly.
09:51 How is that different from what the Chinese government
09:54 is doing?
09:54 So if you take a look at the Chinese economic model, what
10:01 you see is a system of state support
10:04 that is built to dominate and take over entire industries.
10:11 So this is what I mean by we've seen the pattern.
10:13 Steel and aluminum, solar panels, batteries, EVs.
10:17 Today, China's production capacity in steel
10:22 is 55% of world capacity.
10:26 That's in one country.
10:27 Aluminum, 60%.
10:29 EVs, 60%.
10:31 Solar, 80%.
10:33 And in certain critical minerals, 85% to 95%.
10:36 So those are subsidies with an aim
10:40 to cornering the world market and achieving dominance
10:43 and creating dependency.
10:45 The types of support that we're talking about here
10:48 are defensive in nature.
10:50 They're about creating the space to compete,
10:53 the space to thrive, the space to survive,
10:57 the kind of onslaught that we are seeing across the board.
11:00 Did the President signal to President Xi
11:03 in the most recent conversation that this
11:04 might be happening soon?
11:06 So let me put it this way.
11:08 Again, from the President to Secretary Yellen,
11:11 Secretary Blinken, in my own engagements
11:14 with counterparts from Beijing, we
11:17 have been very, very clear about the sobriety with which we
11:22 approach the US-China trade and economic relationship.
11:26 It needs to be fair.
11:28 I did offer my counterpart the courtesy of a notification.
11:32 This does not come as a surprise,
11:34 should not come as a surprise to our counterparts in Beijing.
11:38 The notification, was that today or yesterday?
11:41 That was a pre-notification.
11:44 Thank you, Ambassador Tai.
11:45 I know that these new tariffs are seen
11:47 as more targeted and strategic, but the administration
11:49 has chosen to keep in place those Trump-era tariffs
11:52 on some $300 billion worth of goods, which Biden himself
11:55 had said in 2019 that Americans are paying for.
11:58 So why make that decision to keep it in place?
12:01 And aren't you concerned that it's
12:02 going to keep prices elevated?
12:04 So first of all, let me say a couple of things.
12:06 In terms of the price that Americans
12:09 paid for in the previous era, some of that,
12:12 maybe a lot of it, was about the chaos and unpredictability
12:16 that it created and the escalation that resulted.
12:21 Secondly, I think I'm a trade lawyer by training,
12:25 and at USTR, we are deep into the technical issues.
12:29 The Section 301-based review that we undertook
12:33 required us to look at a couple of questions.
12:35 One of them was the effect of the practices on our economy.
12:39 And there you have our response, which
12:42 is a targeted, strategic response that
12:44 is meant to work together with the investments
12:46 that we're making.
12:47 The other aspect that we had to look at
12:49 was the effect of the tariffs on changing China's behavior
12:54 with respect to the IPR abuses and the forced tech transfer.
12:58 There, the findings in my report,
13:00 which you can find on the USTR website right here--
13:04 it's a serious report--
13:06 is that not only have we not seen
13:08 the problematic practices subside, in some areas,
13:12 we have seen them get worse.
13:14 And in that light, there is actually
13:16 no reason for us, no justification,
13:20 to relieving the tariff burdens on the trade with Beijing.
13:24 And just quickly, what do you say
13:25 to critics who say that by putting these high tariffs
13:28 on Chinese EVs, you're leaving American consumers with fewer
13:31 options, more expensive cars, as China is very far ahead
13:34 in creating very cheap EV cars?
13:37 I think what you have to do is remember and revisit
13:40 the story and the show that we have
13:42 been a part of for the last several decades, which
13:46 is, as you allow China to dominate
13:49 the supply and the production in these industries,
13:52 your choice is actually made for you.
13:55 You have fewer choices.
13:56 And it lays our entire economy, from consumers and workers
14:00 all the way up to our government,
14:03 susceptible to the kinds of coercion
14:06 that we've seen from a government who
14:08 was willing to weaponize the dependencies
14:11 that it has created when a partner does something
14:14 that it does not like politically.
14:18 On Mexico, you said stay tuned.
14:20 Are you saying that there could be some changes to the USMCA
14:24 rules or to the law that would allow the US to apply tariffs
14:29 on goods from China that originated in Mexico
14:31 or other third countries?
14:33 What I'm saying is the fact pattern that's developing
14:37 is one that is of serious concern to us,
14:40 and that at USTR, we are looking at all of our tools
14:44 to see how we can address the problem.
14:45 So you're going from Mexico or from other third countries
14:47 as well?
14:47 I think just the general fact pattern.
14:49 Is there anything else you can say to elaborate on the problem?
14:51 Stay tuned.
14:52 OK.
14:52 Good.
14:53 Go ahead.
14:54 Thanks, Greene.
14:54 Thanks, Ambassador.
14:56 So this is an election year.
14:57 Why did it take three years to impose these tariffs?
15:02 So this is where I put my lawyer hat back on.
15:06 Under the 301 statute, in the fourth year of the tariffs,
15:12 if there is a stakeholder that is benefiting
15:14 from the tariffs who asks us to keep them, we keep them.
15:17 That is what happened in 2022, because the tariffs first
15:20 went on in 2018.
15:23 As a result of that, in the fall of 2022, we started a process.
15:27 We opened up a portal that was open, I think,
15:30 in the end of '22 to the very beginning of '23.
15:34 Notice and comment.
15:35 We wanted to hear from all of our stakeholders,
15:37 their views on the tariffs, the pros and the cons.
15:41 Please inform us.
15:44 That elicited, I think, about 1,600 comments.
15:49 So that's at the beginning of 2023.
15:52 And then we started a whole-of-government interagency
15:55 review within the Biden administration.
16:00 That process has taken us to today
16:02 and the unveiling of this finalized package, which
16:05 the president approved.
16:06 So it took three years to figure out
16:08 the Chinese were flooding the market and stealing technology?
16:11 It's pretty evident that they've been doing that all along.
16:13 No, it took a year and a half for the course of the review.
16:17 You will see the amount of care that we
16:20 put into our investigation and our findings.
16:23 Yes, there continue to be problems.
16:25 But then the question is, what do you do about the tariffs?
16:28 For this administration, it is extremely important
16:32 that we approach a relationship like the one between the US
16:35 and China and these issues around the industries
16:38 and the jobs of the future with discipline.
16:42 That's what takes so long, is the design
16:44 and the architecture of the tariff defense system
16:48 that you will see.
16:49 One more quick thing on Mexico, if I could.
16:51 Are we looking at tariffs--
16:52 I mean, quotas?
16:53 The Trump administration imposed quotas on steel and aluminum
16:57 coming in from Canada and Mexico.
16:58 Could there be the same policy related to EVs
17:02 once the new ID comes in?
17:04 I think I'll just rely on the answer I provided before,
17:07 which is stay tuned.
17:08 Go ahead, Anita.
17:08 Thank you, Ambassador.
17:09 It should also come as no surprise
17:11 that former President Donald Trump is
17:13 very critical of the moves that President Biden made today.
17:16 He's just blown up my inbox, calling
17:18 this a weak and futile attempt, saying basically
17:20 it's too little, too late.
17:21 What's your response to that?
17:24 I would just say that this action--
17:30 [INAUDIBLE]
17:30 --not to respond to a candidate.
17:32 So--
17:33 We're just having a--
17:34 Thank you.
17:34 I appreciate that.
17:35 So I am subject to the Hatch Act.
17:39 I guess what I would do is interpret your question
17:42 to mean--
17:44 or maybe I should ask you to rephrase your question.
17:46 Sure.
17:46 I mean, how do you respond to criticism
17:49 that these tariffs are not enough and have come too late?
17:52 And those are coming clearly from former President Donald
17:56 Trump.
17:56 [LAUGHTER]
17:57 So again, subject to the Hatch Act.
18:00 Let me just say, in general, with respect to criticism
18:03 that these tariffs might not be strong, let me put it this way.
18:08 We have put a lot of heart and a lot of effort,
18:13 intellectual effort, economic effort, and consultation effort
18:17 into this package.
18:19 They are designed to be strategic and not chaotic.
18:24 They are designed to be effective and not emotional.
18:28 Awesome.
18:29 Dave.
18:30 Thank you, Karine.
18:30 Thank you, Ambassador.
18:31 Following up on my colleague Selena's question,
18:34 you said that the president has been consistent on this issue.
18:37 But back in 2019, when he was a candidate,
18:40 he said that any freshman economics student could tell
18:44 you that the American people are paying his tariffs,
18:48 referring to his opponent at the time.
18:52 And he also said that he would reverse
18:54 what he called senseless policies.
18:56 Why did he change his mind?
18:59 So I'm going to reject the assertion
19:01 that he changed his mind.
19:03 What he has been clear about is his commitment
19:06 to America, America's workers, and America's manufacturing
19:11 capabilities and resilience, a future for our economy
19:15 that is built from the middle out and from the bottom up.
19:18 These tariffs are tools.
19:23 And this is something at USTR that we feel very strongly
19:25 about, because there are tools.
19:27 They are the tools of trade.
19:29 When used strategically and smartly,
19:33 they can be powerful forces for economic strength
19:37 and development.
19:38 And that is what you are seeing in this package.
19:40 But previously, he called them senseless.
19:41 They're no longer senseless?
19:44 I think you have to separate out the tool itself and perhaps
19:49 how it's being used and whether or not
19:51 they are articulated for a particular purpose.
19:54 There will obviously be costs here.
19:57 Who are the big losers here?
19:58 I mean, is it American importers?
20:00 I mean, there was an International Trade Commission
20:02 report last year that essentially said that.
20:05 I would encourage you--
20:06 I think the ITC report is maybe not as long as our report.
20:10 It is long.
20:11 I would encourage you to take another look at it,
20:13 because a lot of what people think it says
20:15 is not what it said.
20:17 In terms of the methodology that the ITC used,
20:21 it is very clear that there were positive impacts
20:25 of the tariffs on the specific industries that
20:28 were being covered by it.
20:31 Let me just back up to the frame of your question.
20:34 I think that it just comes down to this, which
20:38 is the president has committed to America's workers
20:41 and to America's industries and these industries of the future
20:44 a bright future.
20:46 And we are going to use all of the tools at our disposal--
20:51 trade tools in combination with the investments
20:54 that we have made and the commitment
20:55 the president has to standing up for America's economic interests
21:00 to make that happen.
21:01 All right.
21:02 Thank you so much.
21:02 Thank you very much.
21:03 Thank you.
21:08 And it's good to see Angela Perez in the house.
21:11 [LAUGHTER]
21:14 But thank you, Ambassador Tai.
21:18 OK, so I just have one more thing at the top,
21:20 and then we'll continue with questions.
21:22 Today, the president and first lady
21:24 are honoring the memories of the 10 lives lost two years ago
21:29 in Buffalo, New York, as a result
21:31 of unacceptable racial hatred and senseless gun violence.
21:35 We also honor the bravery of those in law enforcement
21:39 who responded quickly and who risked their lives every day
21:43 to protect and serve their communities.
21:46 Today, White House Deputy Director
21:48 of Office of Gun Violence Prevention Gregory Jackson
21:52 will join families of the victims and survivors
21:55 of the shooting for a ceremony of reflection in Buffalo,
21:59 where he will deliver a letter from President Biden.
22:03 In his letter, the president shares his condolences
22:07 and reiterates his commitment to combat gun violence
22:11 and counter hate-fueled violence.
22:14 The president will continue to use every tool at his disposal
22:18 to end the epidemic of gun violence affecting Buffalo
22:21 and communities nationwide.
22:24 With that, Amar.
22:26 Was it appropriate for Speaker Johnson
22:28 to show up at the trial of the former president today?
22:31 So look, I can't speak to--
22:33 don't want to comment, obviously, as this is related
22:38 to 2024 elections.
22:40 And I can't speak to the speaker's schedule.
22:43 That is something for him to decide on.
22:45 And let's not forget, this is also
22:47 connected to an independent judicial process,
22:50 so going to be really mindful.
22:52 And he makes his choices on what he does with his business.
22:57 That is his choice to be made.
22:59 What I can speak to is obviously what the president is speaking
23:03 to today as it relates to 301 tariffs,
23:06 making sure that he's protecting American workers,
23:08 protecting American businesses, making sure
23:10 that when we're allowed to compete in a fair way,
23:14 we can thrive.
23:15 And that's what you heard from this president.
23:17 And what we've learned and we've seen from what the speaker is
23:21 obviously leading with congressional Republicans
23:27 is that they want to cut Medicare.
23:31 They want to cut Social Security.
23:34 They want to get rid of things that the American people truly,
23:37 truly care about.
23:38 And so our focus is going to continue
23:40 to build an economy from the bottom up, the middle out.
23:43 And this is something that we can speak to.
23:49 I think the contrast between what we do here
23:52 and what Republicans more broadly, Republicans
23:55 and Congress do, I think couldn't be more stark.
23:58 Can I ask you if there's any administration
24:01 reaction to Georgia's passage of the foreign influence law today?
24:07 And will there be any ramifications
24:09 for the US-Georgia relationship if it is in fact enacted?
24:13 So I do have a statement from us on this.
24:15 We're deeply troubled by Georgia's Kremlin-style foreign
24:19 agents legislation, which just passed,
24:22 as you just stated, Parliament.
24:25 And we expect the president to veto it.
24:28 While it is unclear whether Parliament
24:30 will try to override a potential veto,
24:33 we have been outspoken about our concerns
24:36 with the legislation, which runs counter to democratic values
24:39 and would move Georgia further away
24:41 from the values of the European Union.
24:42 And let's not forget also NATO.
24:44 The Georgian people have been making their views known
24:47 about this legislation, protesting in the streets,
24:50 as you all have been reporting.
24:51 This weekend, we saw some of the largest protests
24:54 in Georgia's history, with tens of thousands
24:57 of peaceful protesters undeterred
25:00 by intimidation tactics, telling their government
25:03 to oppose this legislation because they
25:06 want Euro-Atlantic future.
25:09 We will see what the Parliament does.
25:12 But if this legislation passes, it
25:14 will compel us to fundamentally reassess
25:17 our relationship with Georgia.
25:21 Based on what you're seeing around Rafa,
25:23 does it appear that the Israelis are preparing
25:25 to move in a big way?
25:27 So I don't have anything new to share
25:28 than what Jake Sullivan, our national security advisor--
25:31 he was here, obviously, 24 hours ago
25:33 when he was asked about operations and our discussions,
25:38 obviously, and what we're seeing in Rafa.
25:40 We have been very clear about this,
25:41 that we are going to continue to monitor, to keep a close eye.
25:45 He also said that from what we understand,
25:48 what we know, what we're seeing in Rafa right now,
25:56 according to what Israel has shared with us,
25:58 it is limited targeted operations.
26:00 That's what we've been told.
26:02 And we have been very clear.
26:03 We have been very clear about how
26:04 we feel about our concerns, privately and publicly,
26:07 about a potential major operation in Rafa.
26:10 We have been very clear about the more than 1 million people
26:14 who are living, who are now seeking refuge,
26:17 to be more exact, in Rafa.
26:18 And we want to make sure that their lives are protected.
26:22 These are innocent civilian lives.
26:24 We want to make sure that they are protected.
26:26 And so that is basically-- nothing
26:28 has changed to what Jake Sullivan, our national security
26:31 advisor, stated right here at the lectern yesterday.
26:34 And just to follow up on Amr, when
26:36 you say fundamentally reassess relations with Georgia,
26:39 what does that mean?
26:41 I'm not going to get into specifics.
26:42 I'm not going to get into details here.
26:44 I think I laid out where we are, our concerns.
26:47 We are deeply concerned about this.
26:48 I think the people of Georgia have
26:50 been very clear over the past couple of days,
26:52 the largest protests over the weekend that we have seen,
26:55 tens of thousands that they have seen in that country.
27:00 But we want to make sure that we put out our disapproval,
27:03 our disagreement.
27:04 And of course, we're going to reassess our relationship
27:07 with Georgia.
27:07 I'm just not going to get into specifics
27:09 and the details of what that may look like.
27:11 Danny.
27:11 Thanks, Karine.
27:12 Just back to Rafa briefly.
27:15 Qatar has said that they think Israel's military, what Israel
27:18 is doing there at the moment already,
27:20 is setting back the negotiations for a ceasefire and a hostage
27:23 deal.
27:24 Do you share that assessment?
27:25 So look, and Jake said this yesterday,
27:28 there are multiple phases, multiple elements
27:31 to this hostage deal that would lead to a ceasefire, that
27:35 would obviously get hostages home, some of them
27:38 American hostages that we are working
27:40 to get that hostage deal really focused.
27:43 And we know how critical it is.
27:45 And also to get that humanitarian aid,
27:46 create a situation where we can get more humanitarian aid
27:50 into Gaza more, obviously Gaza more broadly.
27:54 And so look, we're going to continue that work.
27:57 We're going to continue to have those conversations.
27:59 It is a dynamic situation.
28:02 And as it relates to Rafa, I answered, I think,
28:05 Amr asked me the question about what we're seeing.
28:08 We're monitoring the situation.
28:10 We've been very clear publicly and privately.
28:13 Jake, when he was here, he talked about,
28:15 in the upcoming days, having an in-person meeting
28:17 with his counterpart in the Israeli government.
28:20 He's looking forward to do that.
28:22 We've been having continuous conversation with Israel
28:25 about the Rafa operations.
28:28 It's been constructive.
28:29 And so we expect those conversations to continue.
28:33 Hey, I just wanted to-- thank you.
28:36 I just wanted to be a little more granular on Rafa.
28:39 You said the Israeli government had told you
28:41 they are limited, targeted operations.
28:44 Is the White House concerned that Israel
28:46 is making a very incremental sort of encouragement
28:50 to Rafa to make it harder for you guys to say
28:54 that the red line has been crossed?
28:57 So look, I'm not going to get into a red line from here.
29:00 What I will say is, obviously, IDF
29:02 can speak to their own operations.
29:04 What we've been told, these-- and as you just
29:06 stated in your question to me, these
29:08 are targeted, limited operations.
29:10 And so far, it does not appear.
29:12 It does not appear to be a major ground operation.
29:15 And we have been warning about that.
29:17 We've been very clear about that.
29:18 You heard that from Jake Sullivan yesterday,
29:20 our national security advisor.
29:21 You've heard that many times from here, from us.
29:25 We, of course, are monitoring the situation.
29:28 There are longstanding concerns over a potential major ground
29:34 operation.
29:35 And we said there's more than one million Palestinian
29:40 who are seeking refuge in Rafa.
29:43 And so we've been very clear.
29:44 They're taking shelter there.
29:46 That remains.
29:47 And so we're going to continue to have conversations,
29:50 obviously, with the Israeli government.
29:52 Jake Sullivan spoke to this in the upcoming days.
29:55 He is expecting that to happen in person.
29:58 But those conversations continue,
29:59 and they have been constructive.
30:03 Thanks, Corrine.
30:03 A senior White House official recently
30:05 met with some students and faculty at Morehouse College.
30:08 Can you talk a little bit about some of the concerns raised
30:11 from the students and faculty members
30:12 and how the White House responded?
30:14 So what I can say is-- and you're
30:15 speaking about Steve Benjamin--
30:17 Exactly.
30:18 --right, Mayor Benjamin, who is also
30:20 the director of the Office of Public Engagement.
30:23 I can confirm that he did have a meeting at Morehouse.
30:27 I won't get into the specifics, but he regularly does this.
30:30 He regularly goes on the road, hears directly from Americans,
30:34 and he directly, in this instance,
30:37 would be students and faculty, obviously.
30:40 And I just don't have anything beyond that to share.
30:43 The President is certainly looking forward
30:45 to his commencement address this coming Sunday at Morehouse.
30:49 He's looking forward to speaking not just to the students,
30:51 but obviously families and loved ones who are here,
30:54 who will be there to celebrate the students,
30:58 but also to hear a message from this President.
31:01 I don't have anything more to share,
31:03 but I can certainly confirm that Steve Benjamin was
31:05 at Morehouse recently.
31:06 And how many American medical workers
31:08 does the White House estimate are currently
31:10 trapped inside Gaza and unable to get out?
31:12 And is there a plan to help them?
31:14 So I certainly-- look, what we have said over and over again,
31:19 and we will continue to say this,
31:21 is that humanitarian aid workers obviously
31:23 are brave to do the work that they're doing,
31:26 not just in Gaza, but around the world,
31:28 whether it's Sudan, Haiti, many places that they actually
31:32 go out there and do that brave work to offer assistance
31:34 much needed to folks on the ground.
31:37 And so we appreciate that.
31:38 We want to see them protected.
31:41 We want to make sure that they have the ability
31:43 to continue that work.
31:45 I don't have an estimate for you on the number of people,
31:48 to your question.
31:50 But it is imperative, it is important
31:52 that we see humanitarian aid workers protected.
31:55 And those are conversations that we continue
31:56 to have with the Israeli government.
32:00 Thanks a lot, Karine.
32:01 In regards to the President's plans
32:03 to increase tariffs that he announced earlier today,
32:06 is there an expectation that China will retaliate?
32:10 And if indeed that happens, what should American consumers
32:15 plan for in terms of increased prices
32:17 that they pay for on a variety of Chinese goods?
32:20 So I think the Ambassador addressed this question
32:23 a little bit.
32:23 And what I will say is there's no need for a trade war.
32:26 There isn't.
32:26 And we've been very clear, and the Ambassador
32:28 said this at the podium just moments ago,
32:30 obviously, that we have been very clear about this.
32:33 We've been very vocal about how the President believes
32:39 we should move forward.
32:40 He wants to do this in a smart and strategic way.
32:42 That's what you see.
32:43 And it's not just the tariffs.
32:44 It's an investment.
32:45 You hear him talking about investing in America,
32:47 making sure that manufacturers are coming back.
32:50 We have created almost nearly 800,000 manufacturing jobs.
32:55 So there is an investment piece, not just the tariffs piece.
32:58 And the President has been also very clear.
33:00 This is about American workers.
33:01 This is about American companies.
33:02 This is about protecting them.
33:04 And we have been also very clear that China's policies,
33:07 trade policies, have been unfair.
33:09 And we've had concerns.
33:11 You heard the Ambassador talk about how
33:12 you've seen Cabinet-level conversations about this
33:15 over the year.
33:17 And we've been also very consistent about that,
33:19 whether it's Secretary Yellen, Secretary Blinken.
33:21 They've been the most recent secretaries
33:24 to have traveled to Beijing.
33:26 And this came up to have those conversations.
33:29 And so, look, there's no need.
33:30 There's no need for a trade war.
33:32 That is not what we're-- this is not what this is about.
33:35 This is about protecting, again, American workers.
33:37 This is about protecting American businesses,
33:40 making it more fair so that we can compete.
33:43 And we believe that with a fair scenario here,
33:47 that we can out-compete.
33:49 The Press: I also wanted to ask you a question
33:51 that you were not asked yesterday.
33:52 It's in regards to the Vice President's language
33:56 that she used yesterday to young people.
33:59 I'm not going to repeat that language.
34:00 I don't use that language publicly,
34:02 and I don't think you want me to repeat verbatim what she --
34:04 Ambassador Rice: I mean, it's up to you if you want to repeat it or not.
34:06 I can't speak for you.
34:08 The Press: I'm not going to.
34:09 Ambassador Rice, my question to you is, is that appropriate?
34:14 Were you surprised she used that language?
34:16 Was this a one-off, or can we expect similar language
34:19 from the Vice President going forward?
34:21 Ambassador Rice So, look, for those of you
34:22 who have covered the Vice President,
34:25 knows the Vice President,
34:27 she's passionate about what she fights for.
34:29 She is.
34:30 And I think it's important to have someone
34:32 who's passionate about what they're speaking about,
34:35 about what they're trying to lift up.
34:37 And you've seen her be incredibly passionate
34:39 about reproductive freedom
34:40 and what's happening right now in this country.
34:43 And when it comes to women's rights,
34:44 women's ability to choose,
34:46 make really difficult decisions on their body.
34:48 You've seen her talk about that with ending gun violence
34:51 and encouraging young people
34:53 to not let any obstacles get in the way.
34:56 And so this is -- we're talking about someone
34:59 who has broken glass ceilings, right?
35:02 We're talking about someone who can speak to --
35:05 about what it's like to go through that process.
35:09 And so she's incredibly passionate,
35:11 and I will leave it there.
35:14 And, you know, I could not be more proud to have her
35:22 as someone that I look up to as Vice President,
35:24 and I think many people here would say the same.
35:27 The Press: I read her remarks, I watched her remarks,
35:30 and I agree with the sentiment
35:32 that she was conveying to those young people.
35:34 Could she have done that without dropping the F-bomb?
35:37 Ms. Jean-Pierre.
35:38 Look, she was passionate.
35:39 She's passionate about what she believes,
35:40 and that's what I think you heard from this Vice President.
35:43 And I think it's important.
35:45 Okay, Karen.
35:46 The Press: Thanks, Karine.
35:48 There was a lawsuit filed by a group of major airlines
35:50 against the Biden administration over a new rule
35:52 requiring transparency on check bag fees
35:55 and reservation change fees.
35:57 Is the administration concerned that this is going to delay
36:00 this rule going into effect,
36:02 which is supposed to happen on July 1st?
36:04 Ms. Jean-Pierre.
36:05 So, look, I can't speak to the timeline from this.
36:08 I think that's something the Department of Transportation
36:10 can certainly speak to that more.
36:12 This is a significant win, as we see it,
36:15 this rule for consumers.
36:16 I think that's important, saving them half a billion --
36:19 half a billion dollars every year
36:21 and bringing transparency to what has become
36:24 a free, written purchasing process.
36:26 So, it is significant.
36:28 It's a win for the American people.
36:29 It's a win for consumers.
36:30 I can't speak to the timeline.
36:31 That's something that the Department of Transportation
36:33 can certainly lean into.
36:35 But would a lawsuit like this be a setback
36:37 for the broader agenda of the administration,
36:39 tackling hidden junk fees?
36:40 So, I probably should have said at the first,
36:42 going to be really mindful.
36:43 It's a litigation.
36:44 Don't want to speak to the litigation.
36:45 I'm speaking more broadly.
36:47 And so, what I can say, it's a win for consumers.
36:50 That's -- it's an important rule.
36:52 It is -- we're talking about saving billions of dollars
36:55 to the American consumer.
36:58 And so, it is important to move forward, step forward.
37:01 And anything else, I would certainly prefer
37:03 it to the Department of Transportation.
37:05 Okay.
37:06 -Yes. At this point,
37:07 when the gas has been practically leveled,
37:09 80 percent of the hospitals are out of service.
37:13 Most of the people have been displaced.
37:15 What do you think is the incentive Hamas
37:17 have to keep negotiating a ceasefire?
37:20 -Look, it is, we believe, incredibly important
37:25 and critical to get to the ceasefire,
37:28 to get to a hostage jail,
37:31 to get hostages home.
37:34 And it's not easy, right?
37:36 You heard Jake talk about this.
37:40 He actually quoted Senator George Mitchell, right,
37:42 and talked about how sometimes it takes 1,000 failures
37:45 before you can get to one win.
37:47 And I think that really speaks to the moment that we're in.
37:51 And I said this before, as I was asked this question,
37:54 there are a lot of dynamics here,
37:56 that when you're talking about the different phases, right,
38:00 when it comes to a hostage deal.
38:02 And so, look, it's not gonna stop us
38:05 from continuing to have these conversations.
38:07 It's not gonna stop us for understanding
38:09 what is at stake here.
38:10 We got to get these hostages home.
38:13 We got to get that humanitarian --
38:14 continuing to get that humanitarian aid in.
38:17 And we got to get to a ceasefire.
38:19 We have to.
38:21 And, you know, Hamas, as we have stated
38:24 and you've heard us say over and over again,
38:26 is a terrorist organization.
38:27 This could end today if they would let the women,
38:31 the wounded, the elderly go.
38:33 It could end.
38:34 This could end.
38:36 So, in the meantime -- and you heard Jake go through the 10,
38:41 you know, the 10 points of how we're seeing
38:44 and how we're viewing what's happening in the Middle East.
38:47 And so that continues.
38:48 It's not gonna stop us from having this really important,
38:51 critical conversation, negotiations
38:54 around the hostage deal.
38:55 There's so much at stake here, and it is important
38:58 and critical to continue these talks.
39:01 -Paul, do you think the U.S. is safer today
39:03 than it was seven months ago,
39:05 considering the rage and the questioning
39:07 from countries in the Gulf?
39:09 -Say that one more time. If who's --
39:10 -If the U.S. is safer today than it was seven months ago,
39:13 considering -- -I mean, look,
39:15 I don't have any changes of where we are today.
39:19 I can't speak to that.
39:21 What I can say is the President's always going
39:23 to put our national security first.
39:25 He's always going -- as it relates to the American people,
39:28 as it relates to us.
39:29 That's the lens that he moves with.
39:31 That's how he sees things.
39:33 And I think that's incredibly important.
39:35 And his commitment -- his commitment continues to be so.
39:39 -Taiwan's gonna hold its inauguration next Monday.
39:43 Does the administration expect any changes in policy
39:46 with the incoming President Lai?
39:49 And then, you know, aren't you seeing any signs
39:51 that China may try to use this occasion
39:54 to act aggressively or in a coercive way?
39:57 -I mean, look, I can't speak for what China's going to do
39:59 or not do.
40:00 I'm not, you know, obviously in the head of President Xi.
40:05 But we've been very clear about where we stand
40:09 with our "one China" policy.
40:10 Nothing has changed there.
40:12 And, look, I would have to let the leader of --
40:18 the leader speak for himself.
40:19 I just don't have anything to add beyond that.
40:20 We will see. We will see.
40:22 Okay. -Thanks, Karine.
40:24 Why do you think Americans are so down
40:26 on President Biden right now?
40:28 -What do you mean?
40:30 -I know you don't like to talk about polls,
40:31 like the 516 swing states that he is losing right now
40:36 to somebody who is a criminal defendant.
40:39 But more broadly, it doesn't seem like anything
40:42 you guys are doing is making him more popular.
40:46 Why do you think that is?
40:47 -So, you mentioned a criminal defendant.
40:50 Your words, not mine.
40:51 So I want to be super mindful about how I answer this question
40:54 because, obviously, that criminal defendant
40:57 is also in the race for 2024 election.
41:01 So I'm going to be super mindful there.
41:03 I will speak more broadly
41:05 to what the American people are going through.
41:09 Like, we understand.
41:10 We are sensitive enough and open-minded enough
41:13 to understand that this is --
41:16 that not just this country, but globally,
41:18 people have had to deal with a pandemic
41:22 and coming out of that pandemic.
41:23 We understand that even, you know, you think about gas prices
41:29 and because of Putin's war, what that has occurred,
41:32 that led to gas prices increasing.
41:35 And the President had a lot to deal with when he walked in.
41:38 A lot.
41:39 A lot of crises.
41:40 And this is a President that took that very,
41:42 very seriously and took action.
41:45 The American Rescue Plan, no Republicans voted for that,
41:48 but we ended up trying to work to get an economy
41:51 that's fairer for all and make sure
41:54 that we don't leave people behind
41:55 and creating 15 million jobs,
41:58 an unemployment rate that's under 4%.
42:01 We understand that people are still feeling this.
42:03 We get that.
42:04 And we're not -- we're not blind to that.
42:07 That's why you hear the President pretty regularly
42:09 announcing how he is going to lower costs
42:12 for the American people, whether it's big pharma,
42:14 trying to lower healthcare costs,
42:16 expanding ACA for those who truly need it,
42:20 or it is making sure that we get rid of junk fees
42:23 that cost Americans a lot of money every year.
42:27 So, look, we know it's going to take a little bit of time.
42:30 We get that.
42:32 And we are going to continue to --
42:33 it's not going to stop us from talking about it.
42:35 And it's also not going to stop us
42:36 for talking about the contrast that we see
42:38 from GOP Republican congressional members
42:41 who want to do the opposite
42:42 of what the President is trying to get done,
42:45 cutting Social Security, Medicare, Medicare, Medicaid.
42:48 That is what they're talking about,
42:49 slashing taxes for billionaires and corporations.
42:52 That's not what this President wants to do.
42:54 He wants to make sure that we're building an economy
42:56 from the bottom up, middle out.
42:58 And, again, we get it.
42:59 We get that prices are too high for Americans,
43:02 and that's what we're going to continue to do the work.
43:05 -I get that you understand that people are hurting right now.
43:08 Why is it that nothing you're doing
43:09 to address their concerns is working?
43:13 -What I'm saying is we're going to continue to do the work.
43:16 I can't speak to the polls, right?
43:18 Those are for folks who are experts,
43:20 who can do a deep dive and look into that and speak to them.
43:23 What I can speak to is we understand
43:26 what the American people is feeling.
43:28 We understand what they're going through.
43:29 That's why we're going to continue to do the work.
43:32 301 tariff, that's part of it, right?
43:34 Making sure that we're protecting American workers,
43:36 making sure that we're protecting American businesses.
43:39 That's the work that the President's going to focus on,
43:41 and we're going to continue to move in that way.
43:43 -More broadly, then, have you considered in the White House
43:47 that some of President Biden's recent policy positions
43:51 could be a turnoff to the people that used to like him?
43:56 -So, here, I would disagree with you there
43:59 because a lot of the policies
44:00 that the President is pushing forward
44:02 are incredibly popular.
44:04 They are.
44:05 They are student debt,
44:06 even though you have Republicans who stopped the President
44:08 on moving with his plan on student debt.
44:10 That's actually very popular with Americans.
44:12 Fighting Big Pharma, that's popular with Americans, right?
44:15 Making sure that we lower costs on healthcare,
44:18 that's popular with Americans.
44:19 So, what the President is actually doing is popular
44:23 with what majority of Americans want to do,
44:26 even in protecting reproductive rights,
44:28 something that Republicans are not
44:30 on the right side of history.
44:31 You think about what extreme elected officials want to do.
44:36 The President wants to protect and make sure
44:38 that we actually are giving a woman a right
44:42 to make really difficult decisions on their healthcare.
44:44 So, that part, I certainly disagree with you on.
44:47 Go ahead, Jared.
44:47 -Is the meeting with Israelis on RAFA
44:51 also expected to include ongoing conversations
44:53 about that shipment of 2,000-pound bombs
44:56 and the kind of steps or conditions you want to see,
44:58 the administration wants to see,
44:59 to move forward on a final determination?
45:01 -So, look, those don't have anything for you on a timeline
45:04 or that particular conversation.
45:06 The RAFA operations, we've been really clear
45:09 about our concerns about that.
45:10 Any major military operations going into RAFA,
45:13 we have been clear that we do not believe
45:15 that is the way, the right way to move forward.
45:18 And so, we're going to continue to be clear.
45:21 We're going to have a meeting about that specifically.
45:24 As you know, National Security Advisor stated
45:26 that there's been continuous conversations
45:28 on this particular issue
45:30 that we believe has been constructive.
45:32 And conversations continue.
45:34 We're going to monitor the situation.
45:36 I'm not going to go beyond what we've just stated
45:38 about our focus on the RAFA operations
45:41 and those conversations.
45:41 Go ahead.
45:42 -President Biden has frequently pledged
45:44 that no one making under $400,000
45:47 would see their taxes go up.
45:49 Tariffs are effectively a tax on imports.
45:52 I'm wondering if you can commit that no American importer
45:55 making less than $400,000 would see their costs go up.
45:58 -So, our commitment to Americans are very clear,
46:01 which is that we are not going to tax.
46:04 We do not want to see a tax increase
46:07 on Americans making over $400,000.
46:09 That has been our point where we have been
46:12 since the beginning of this administration.
46:14 That has not changed.
46:15 We have to remember what these tariffs are all about.
46:19 It's actually making sure
46:21 that we are protecting American workers,
46:22 that we are protecting American businesses.
46:25 We have to -- we cannot forget, as well,
46:27 that the trade deal that the last administration,
46:30 the Trump administration, did, did not actually --
46:33 it was a bad deal. It was a failed deal.
46:35 It didn't increase our American imports.
46:38 It didn't increase manufacturing here.
46:41 -What are the importers of solar cells
46:43 or some of the products that are part of the announcement today?
46:45 You can guarantee that none of those importers --
46:47 -What I can say is Americans --
46:49 What I can say is Americans here,
46:52 we have been very clear that we do not want to --
46:55 we do not want to see taxes for them
46:59 if they are making under $400,000.
47:00 That is something that we've been very clear about.
47:03 But I also do not want to --
47:06 we should not forget why we're doing this today.
47:10 This is about protecting American workers.
47:11 This is about protecting American businesses.
47:13 What we saw from the last administration failed.
47:15 It failed. We did not see manufacturing go up.
47:18 We did not see imports go up -- exports go up.
47:21 And so that is also incredibly important to note.
47:25 And we want to do this --
47:26 the President wants to do this in a smart and strategic way,
47:29 and that's what you are seeing from this announcement today.
47:31 -Kareem, there's a report that's just out right now
47:34 that Jake Sullivan will be going to Saudi Arabia
47:36 and Israel this weekend
47:37 to discuss the military operation in Raqqa.
47:39 I know you mentioned that there would be a meeting
47:40 in the coming days.
47:41 Can you confirm his travel?
47:43 -I can't confirm that at this time.
47:46 -Kareem, picking up on your last answer,
47:49 that you don't believe that this is a tax on Americans
47:52 making under $400,000 a year,
47:54 some Democrats, including Jared Polis,
47:56 the governor of Colorado,
47:58 come out and said that tariffs are a direct
47:59 regressive tax on Americans
48:01 and that this tax increase will hit every family,
48:04 calling it horrible news.
48:06 How do you respond to that?
48:07 -Look, I mean, it's very much to what I've been saying.
48:10 This is truly about what the President wanted to do.
48:15 He wanted to make sure that this was done
48:16 in a smart and strategic way.
48:18 That's what this announcement is about.
48:20 It's about making sure that we address the unfair policies
48:23 that we have seen from China, and this is what this does.
48:27 American workers and businesses can out-compete anyone
48:30 if we actually create a competition that is fair,
48:33 and that's what you're seeing from this President.
48:36 We have been also very clear that we do not want to see
48:38 a tax increase for anyone making under $400,000.
48:42 That has also been our approach on this
48:45 as we talk about the economy,
48:47 as we talk about making sure that we are building an economy
48:50 from the bottom up, middle out.
48:52 We want this to make sure
48:53 that we're not leaving anyone behind.
48:56 This is a smart and strategic approach from this President.
48:59 These tariffs are targeted at critical industries,
49:02 where his investing in America agenda
49:04 is spurring a manufacturing boom.
49:06 He is coupling investment with actions
49:08 to protect American workers and to protect businesses as well.
49:11 That's our approach here.
49:12 That's how we're going to move forward.
49:13 -Karen, I know you said you couldn't confirm Jake's travel
49:16 to Saudi Arabia this weekend,
49:17 but would you say across the administration,
49:20 is there an increased sense of urgency
49:22 to make sure that Prime Minister Netanyahu
49:24 does not go further into Iraq?
49:25 -I mean, I think there's been a sense of urgency from day one.
49:29 We've been very clear about this.
49:31 The last time the President spoke to the Prime Minister,
49:33 one of the topics that came up that we read out to all of you
49:36 was the Rafa operations.
49:38 You've heard us say over and over again about our concerns,
49:42 and we've been clear about our concerns privately
49:44 and certainly publicly about more than 1 million people.
49:49 More than 1 million Palestinian citizens
49:51 are now seeking refuge in Rafa.
49:55 And so we want to make sure that their lives are protected.
50:01 Understanding that dismantling Hamas operation
50:05 is actually really important.
50:06 This is something that we believe in,
50:08 that we want to see as well.
50:09 That's why we've offered our own thoughts
50:13 on how to move forward with that.
50:15 Conversations continue.
50:17 We're going to be very clear about our concerns here,
50:20 and I'll just leave it there.
50:22 All right, everybody.
50:23 Thanks, everyone.
50:24 I'll see you tomorrow?
50:25 Tomorrow.
50:26 Bye, everybody.