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Biden: US would defend Taiwan militarily if China invaded

President Biden on Monday said the U.S. would be willing to defend Taiwan militarily if China were to try and take it by force.

“Are you willing to get involved militarily to defend Taiwan if it comes to that?” Biden was asked at a press conference in Tokyo alongside the Japanese prime minsiter.

“Yes,” Biden responded. “That’s the commitment we made. That’s the commitment we made.

“Look, here’s the situation. We agree with the one China policy… but the idea that to be taken by force, just taken by force, is just not appropriate,” Biden continued. “It will dislocate the entire region and be another action similar to what happened in Ukraine.”

Biden said he does not believe China will attempt to take Taiwan by force, adding that the united global response to the Russian invasion of Ukraine can serve as a deterrent against possible aggression by Beijing.

The White House shortly after the press conference reiterated Biden’s comments that the U.S. position on Taiwan has not changed and it still abides by the one China policy.

Still, Monday is the latest instance of the president’s comments spurring some confusion, and they could draw a reaction from China.

China has been increasingly aggressive in recent years, stepping up military flights into Taiwan’s airspace and sending ships into the Taiwan Strait. The pattern has raised alarms among the international community that Beijing may ultimately plan to invade or take Taiwan by force.

Under the “one China” policy, the U.S. does not recognize Taiwan as a separate state from China. And under the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, the U.S. is committed to providing Taiwan with arms for its defense. The law does not commit the U.S. to sending troops to Taiwan to defend it.

Biden was asked at a CNN town hall last October whether the U.S. would defend Taiwan if it were attacked by China, and he said the U.S. would.

The White House quickly walked back Biden’s comments at the time, saying he was not announcing a policy change.

Source: TEST FEED1

Biden says monkeypox quarantine requirements unlikely, but 'people should be careful’

President Biden on Monday said he does not expect the United States to impose quarantine requirements for individuals infected by or exposed to monkeypox, but he urged Americans to “be careful” as the virus circulates more widely.

Biden was asked during a press conference in Tokyo about other countries, namely Belgium, that have required those infected with monkeypox to quarantine for 21 days, and whether Americans should expect something similar.

“No, I don’t think so,” Biden said.

The president a day earlier told reporters “everybody should be concerned” about the virus, which was first detected in the United States last week. But on Monday, he pointed to the effectiveness of smallpox vaccines to prevent serious cases of monkeypox and previous outbreaks to argue there is no need for a stronger reaction.

“I just don’t think it rises to the level of the kind of concern that existed with COVID-19, and the smallpox vaccine works for it. But, I think people should be careful,” Biden said.

Asked if the government has enough smallpox vaccine stockpiled, Biden said he believes there is “enough to deal with the likelihood of the problem.”

Monkeypox is a rare virus that is typically detected in Africa, but recent confirmed cases in the U.S., Europe and Canada have perplexed scientists and caused concern. The virus is in the same family as smallpox, but is less deadly.

Massachusetts public health officials confirmed a case of monkeypox in a person who had recently traveled to Canada. In total, the World Health Organization (WHO) said it is tracking 80 confirmed cases and 50 possible cases across 11 countries.  

Monkeypox spreads in a different way than COVID-19, the WHO noted, specifically through close contact with an infected person or animal. Symptoms of the virus include rashes, fever and swollen lymph nodes.

Source: TEST FEED1

Biden: US economy has ‘problems,’ but recession not inevitable

President Biden on Monday acknowledged the United States is facing economic headwinds with high gasoline and food prices, but he rejected the idea that a recession is inevitable.

At a press conference in Tokyo, Biden rattled off a series of investments that have spurred job growth, including a new Samsung factory in Texas, a new Hundyai operation in Georgia and Toyota commitment in North Carolina.

“Now, does that mean we don’t have problems?” Biden said. “We do. We have problems that the rest of the world has, but less consequential than the rest of the world has because of our internal growth and strength.”

Biden pointed to the Russian invasion of Ukraine upending global oil markets and the strain it has put on European nations more reliant on Russian energy.

“It’s affecting a lot of families,” Biden said. He pointed to his decision to release millions of barrels of oil from reserves to boost supply, but conceded it has not been enough to lower prices, which have hit records in recent days.

Biden also blamed the Russian invasion for food shortages, as millions of bushels of grain have been held up in Ukraine.

“This is going to be a haul. This is going to take some time,” Biden said.

But when asked if a recession for the U.S. economy is inevitable, Biden responded, “No.”

The president said he would continue to work with Middle Eastern nations to boost oil supply, and he said he would continue to pursue policies that spur growth domestically. Biden further argued that passing his domestic agenda to lower child care and family care costs would lower inflation, but that legislation has stalled in the Senate where moderate Democrats are reluctant to approve more spending.

Biden has faced tremendous pressure from voters to tamp down inflation, even as the president and White House aides point to low unemployment, strong gross domestic product growth and other underlying factors that show the economy is strong.

Polls have shown voters do not approve of Biden’s handling of the economy, and plunges in the stock market in recent days have only fueled concerns about a looming downturn.

Brian Deese, the head of the National Economic Council and Biden’s top economic adviser, wouldn’t rule out the possibility of a recession entirely during an interview on Sunday morning.

“Well, there are always risks, but here’s where I think we are,” Deese said on CNN. “Our economy is in a transition from what has been the strongest recovery in modern American history to what can be a period of more stable and resilient growth that works better for families.”

Source: TEST FEED1

Biden backs Japan joining ‘reformed’ UN Security Council, Japanese PM says

President Biden indicated Monday that he supports Japan becoming a permanent member of a “reformed” United Nations Security Council.

Biden met one-on-one with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida in Tokyo, where the two discussed the Japan-U.S. alliance and ways to ensure security and cooperation on the international stage.

Kishida said in opening remarks at a press conference he detailed the “necessity to reform and strengthen the United Nations, including the security council, which bears an important responsibility for the peace and stability of the international community,” and that Biden was supportive.

“The president stated that the United States will support Japan becoming a permanent member of a reformed security council,” Kishida said.

The United Nations Security Council carries significant influence within the global body. The council can approve new members and changes to the U.N. charter, and it can approve peacekeeping missions, military action and enact sanctions, which has become particularly important in the wake of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine.

The body has five permanent members: China, France, Russia, the United Kingdom and the United States. The rules allow any permanent member on its own to block the adoption of any resolution, which has led to strife between members at times.

Adding Japan to the security council would add another nation from the Indo-Pacific region that could provide a counterweight to China. International officials have raised concerns about China’s human rights violations, as well as aggression toward Taiwan.

Source: TEST FEED1

Jill Biden celebrates new childhood cancer partnership with Costa Rica

First Lady Jill Biden visited a children’s hospital in Costa Rica’s capital on Sunday to celebrate a new partnership to combat childhood cancer.

“Together, we can end cancer as we know it,” Biden said in remarks celebrating the partnership between Costa Rica, the University of Pennsylvania and the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

“We can give families, here in Costa Rica, the United States and every corner of the globe, the treatments and cures that they need to live longer, healthier lives,” she added.

Biden was speaking from the National Children’s Hospital of Costa Rica in San José, the same hospital President John F. Kennedy visited during a 1963 tour of Costa Rica. 

Cancer has struck particularly close to the first family after Biden’s son, Beau, died of brain cancer in 2015, a tragedy the first lady spoke about in her speech.

“For Joe and for me, it has stolen our joy,” she said of the disease in her speech at the hospital. “It left us broken in our grief. But through that pain, we find purpose.” 

Later Sunday afternoon, Biden was also set to meet with U.S. embassy staff in at the Chief of Mission Residence in San José, according to the White House.

The visit was part of the first lady’s six-day trip to Ecuador, Panama and Costa Rica. 

President Biden’s daughter, Ashley Biden, was scheduled to join the first lady on the trip to Latin America, but changed those plans after testing positive for COVID-19 on Wednesday. She was not considered a close contact of either the president or first lady.

Source: TEST FEED1

Hungary's Orban says shows like Tucker Carlson's should be broadcast '24/7'

Hungarian prime minister Viktor Orban said during a meeting of the Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Hungary that Tucker Carlson’s Fox News show should be broadcast “24/7.”

The recommendation came as Orban laid out a plan for conservatives to gain and maintain power, according to The Guardian.

The GOP having its own media networks is the best way to fight the agenda of the left, he said. Orban and his supporters wield major influence over Hungarian media outlets, including state TV.

“Of course, the GOP has its associated media, but they do not compete with the dominance of the liberal press. Only friend Tucker Carlson places himself on the line without wavering,” he said, according to CNN.

“His program is the most watched,” Orban added. “What does it mean? It means programs like his should be broadcasted day and night. Or as you say 24/7.”

Carlson made a brief virtual appearance at the CPAC meeting in Budapest, during which he praised Hungary as “a free and decent and beautiful country that cares about its people, their families and the physical landscape.”

CPAC will next hold events in Brazil and Israel before heading back to the U.S. for its Texas conference, slated for Aug. 4 to 7.

Orban reportedly invited Trump to Budapest in February, ahead of Hungary’s election in April, in which he won his fourth consecutive term as prime minister.

Carlson released a special earlier this year about Orban’s fight against political mega-donor and philanthropist George Soros, titled “Hungary vs. Soros: Fight for Civilization.” 

Source: TEST FEED1

Pentagon says 'no decisions have been made' on special forces at Kyiv embassy

The Pentagon said “no decisions have been made” about sending special forces to protect the newly reopened embassy in Kyiv, following a report from The Wall Street Journal that officials are considering the deployment.

The Journal cited U.S. officials saying a potential U.S. troop presence at the embassy would only be for defense and security of the embassy specifically, but that the plan had not yet been presented to Biden.

“We are in close touch with our colleagues at the State Department about potential security requirements now that they have resumed operations at the embassy in Kiev,” the Pentagon said in a statement to The Hill on Sunday, “but no decisions have been made — and no specific proposals have been debated — at senior levels of the department about the return of U.S. military members to Ukraine for that or any other purpose.”

Should such a plan progress, it would mark a backtracking on the president’s promise that U.S. troops would not be sent to Ukraine amid Russia’s invasion of the country.

Currently, the Kyiv embassy’s security comes from the State Department’s Diplomatic Security Service, the Journal noted.

The Biden administration is seeking to balance concerns about provoking Russian attacks on American personnel while also having enough forces to extract those Americans in the event of an escalation of attacks on Kyiv. 

Last month, the Biden administration announced that the U.S. embassy in Kyiv would be reopened after Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin both visited Ukraine’s capital city. 

The embassy raised the U.S. flag once again on Wednesday, about three months after lowering it before Russia launched its invasion.

The Senate also confirmed Bridget Brink last week as U.S. ambassador to Ukraine. The veteran foreign service officer was nominated to the position last month by President Joe Biden.

Source: TEST FEED1

Former Marine Trevor Reed credits Biden for his release

Former Marine Trevor Reed credited President Biden with his release from Russia after more than two years in prison in his first television interview since returning home.

The Biden administration secured the release of Reed through a prisoner swap for a Russian jailed in the U.S. for drug trafficking. 

“He’s the person who held the single most important role in that the decision,” Reed said of Biden, during an exclusive interview with CNN’s Jake Tapper broadcast Sunday evening.

“And I think that President Biden made the right one,” he added.

Reed received a nine-year prison sentence for allegedly assaulting an officer while he was drunk in 2019.

Reed’s family had advocated for his release for years and finally met with President Biden in March. 

“And a lot of people are not going to like what I’m going to say about this, but I kind of viewed their — having hope as being a weakness,” Reed told Tapper of his mindset while in prison.

“So I did not want to have that hope of, like, me, you know, being released somehow and then have that taken from me,” he added. “I wouldn’t let myself hope.”

Since his release, Reed has joined in the push for the release of other wrongfully detained Americans, especially Paul Whelan, another former marine who was arrested in Moscow in 2018 and has been detained on espionage charges, which he denies.

“When they told me that I was leaving, I thought that Paul was leaving with me, and when I found out that they left him, that was tough,” Reed told Tapper. “The fact is that the United States should have gotten him out and we have to get him out at any cost.” 

In a statement released by his family, Whelan said after Reed’s release, “Why was I left behind?”

“While I am pleased Trevor is home with his family, I have been held on a fictitious charge of espionage for 40 months,” he said, per CNN.

WNBA star Brittney Griner also remains imprisoned in Russia, accused of possessing marijuana vaping supplies in an airport.

The U.S. earlier this month said it considers her “wrongfully detained” by Russia’s government, signaling a change in how it will work to bring her home.

Source: TEST FEED1

Kellyanne Conway takes aim at Jared Kushner in new book

Former White House counselor Kellyanne Conway reportedly criticized former President Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in her new book, calling him “shrewd and calculating” and saying he had an unchecked sense of power.

In her book “Here’s the Deal,” Conway referred to Kushner as “a man of knowing nods, quizzical looks, and sidebar inquiries” and said he knew that “no matter how disastrous a personnel change or legislative attempt may be, he was unlikely to be held accountable for it,” according to The Washington Post.

Trump’s former campaign manager also said Kushner suggested things like Trump going “to Ellis Island, where he’d stand at the foot of the State of Liberty to lead a naturalization ceremony.”

During his time as a presidential advisor, Kushner took on policy challenges including negotiating peace in the Middle East, solving the opioid crisis and confronting the emerging COVID-19 pandemic.

“There was no subject he considered beyond his expertise,” Conway reportedly writes, saying that if martians attacked he would have “happily added them to his ever-bulging portfolio.”

“He misread the Constitution in one crucial respect, thinking that all power not given to the federal government was reserved to him,” Conway adds.

Conway’s husband George Conway is a fierce Trump critic, a dynamic often remarked upon during the former president’s time in office.

Conway writes that at one point Trump’s daughter, Ivanka, left her a post-it note with recommendations for a marriage counselor, neither of which the couple saw, per the Post.

The book also alleges that Trump questioned his run for president in the wake of the release of his Access Hollywood tape, in which the former president could be heard bragging to host Billy Bush about groping and kissing women without their consent.

“Should I get out [of the race]?” Trump reportedly asked Conway, according to The Daily Beast, also citing her new book.

“You actually can’t,” Conway wrote of her response, “unless you want to forfeit and throw the whole damn thing to Hillary.”

“I know you don’t like to lose,” she said she told Trump, “but I also know you don’t like to quit.”

Conway said she told then-candidate Trump that his words on the tape were “disgusting” and “reprehensible,” according to the book, which is set for release on Tuesday.

The Hill has reached out to a representative for Trump for comment.

Source: TEST FEED1