Transcript - Press Gaggle: Joe Biden Speaks to Reporters Before Marine One Departure in New York - May 10, 2023 | Factba.se

Joe Biden

00:00:00 - 00:00:02 ()

No, I haven't. I haven't gotten any update.

Question

00:00:02 - 00:00:08 ()

How are you feeling though? Do you feel more optimistic about a deal today than you did yesterday?

Joe Biden

00:00:08 - 00:00:19 ()

Look, the purpose of them meeting together was to lay out what we think the answer is in terms of the budget, what we think we should cut, what we think the revenue should be, and have them lay it out as well and begin a discussion. That's the purpose of the meeting.

Question

00:00:19 - 00:00:25 ()

Mr. President, is a short-term -- is a short-term increase the only option now?

Joe Biden

00:00:25 - 00:00:32 ()

No. No, it's not the -- we still have time to do a whole deal.

Question

00:00:32 - 00:00:36 ()

Mr. President, what are you looking for out of Friday's meeting?

Joe Biden

00:00:36 - 00:00:37 ()

Question

00:00:37 - 00:00:40 ()

When you're meeting with the Leader again and the --

Joe Biden

00:00:40 - 00:00:49 ()

To find out what our staffs agreed upon and begin further discussion.

Joe Biden

00:00:49 - 00:01:21 ()

Look, the idea that we're going to just not discuss anything consequential is just not real. We have to decide what is -- for example, they keep saying they only want -- they're going to go back to the 2022 budget. Well, the 2022 budget -- in the 2022 budget, what is it that they are going to cut? What are they going to keep? Are -- just tell us. Are they going to make sure they continue to fund the Defense Department? Are they not going to cut veterans? Well, if they're not going to do that, what are they going to cut? So we know what we're talking about.

Question

00:01:21 - 00:01:28 ()

Can you expand on what you meant when you said there's going to be "chaos at the border"?

Joe Biden

00:01:28 - 00:01:29 ()

Say that again?

Question

00:01:29 - 00:01:34 ()

Can you expand on what you meant when you said there will be "chaos at the border"? For how long?

Joe Biden

00:01:34 - 00:01:44 ()

Well, we've had chaos at the border for a number of years. We have to fully fund the border security effort. We have to fully fund --

Joe Biden

00:01:44 - 00:02:02 ()

Look, the purpose of what we're doing now is making legal immigration more streamlined, illegal immigration shorter term and moved -- and moving in a direction that people know that there's a legal way to get here and not legal way. That what's underway now.

Question

00:02:02 - 00:02:05 ()

Mr. President, what is the plan B if the asylum rule is blocked in court?

Joe Biden

00:02:05 - 00:02:06 ()

We'll figure that out if it's blocked in court.

Question

00:02:06 - 00:02:15 ()

And is Mexico doing enough, sir? Are they taking enough enforcement action?

Joe Biden

00:02:15 - 00:02:31 ()

Yes, I -- I spent an hour with the President of Mexico yesterday. He's been very cooperative. We're in agreement. And he's also supportive of making sure we have way-stops in Colombia and other countries where people can make their case.

Question

00:02:31 - 00:02:35 ()

Are you considering sending additional troops to the border?

Joe Biden

00:02:35 - 00:02:35 ()

Question

00:02:35 - 00:02:37 ()

Joe Biden

00:02:37 - 00:02:40 ()

I told you, we already -- 1,500 now.

Question

00:02:40 - 00:02:40 ()

Joe Biden

00:02:40 - 00:02:46 ()

And it's not -- and the troops are there to free up the Border Patrol people to be able to do their job.

Joe Biden

00:02:46 - 00:02:55 ()

Look, I asked the Congress for a lot more money for the Border Patrol. They didn't do it. They've made it harder.

Joe Biden

00:02:55 - 00:03:05 ()

So -- and that -- one of the things I want to know about this negotiation: Are they going to cut more folks out of the Border Patrol? What are they going to do? So I know what I'm going to be dealing with.

Question

00:03:05 - 00:03:17 ()

Governor Abbott said that he wants to see as many as 15,000 or 150,000 troops at the border. So are you thinking about sending more than 1,500?

Joe Biden

00:03:17 - 00:03:31 ()

No, look, what we want to do at the border is have it work and function in the way it's designed to work. And that requires us having more immigration officers, more asylum judges, a whole range of things. More personnel. And I'm trying to do as much of that as I can.

Question

00:03:31 - 00:03:34 ()

Sir, what did you tell Congressman Lawler?

Joe Biden

00:03:34 - 00:03:43 ()

I thanked him for the courtesy of him showing up. I told him this wasn't designed to be anything other than lay out my position.

Joe Biden

00:03:43 - 00:03:51 ()

We had a very brief discussion about the need for us to be level -- not he and I -- but with the Republican leadership.

Joe Biden

00:03:51 - 00:03:58 ()

He told me he thought that -- that the Speaker was willing to negotiate. I said, "I hope so."

Joe Biden

00:03:58 - 00:04:03 ()

Just basic -- what I do -- whenever I go into someone else's district, just a matter of courtesy.

Question

00:04:03 - 00:04:07 ()

Should Congressman Santos be expelled from Congress?

Joe Biden

00:04:07 - 00:04:17 ()

Oh, I -- look, if I comment at all on li- -- on Santos, you're all going to say I'm getting the Justice Department to do things. I'm not commenting on Santos at all.

Question

00:04:17 - 00:04:22 ()

I meant from Congress. I meant by Congress. Should he be expelled by lawmakers from Congress?

Joe Biden

00:04:22 - 00:04:26 ()

That's for Congress to decide.

Question

00:04:26 - 00:04:29 ()

Mr. President, Justice -- Justice Thomas, should he be impeached?

Joe Biden

00:04:29 - 00:04:34 ()

Oh, I think we're a long way from that. There haven't been the hearings yet.

Question

00:04:34 - 00:04:40 ()

Would you accept that kind of behavior from your own staff? If one of your staff was accused of the same things that he's been accused of, would you accept that kind of behavior?

Joe Biden

00:04:40 - 00:04:40 ()

Question

00:04:40 - 00:04:42 ()

Then what makes it acceptable [inaudible]?

Question

00:04:42 - 00:04:54 ()

[Inaudible] talk to the Chinese President, Xi Jinping? Why has this not happened yet? And what is the progress on making this conversation happen?

Joe Biden

00:04:54 - 00:04:57 ()

There's been progress. It'll work out.

Question

00:04:57 - 00:04:57 ()

Question

00:04:57 - 00:04:58 ()

Mr. President --

Joe Biden

00:04:58 - 00:05:00 ()

2:30 on -- well --

Question

00:05:00 - 00:05:05 ()

Mr. President, you said you are -- you're likely to delay your trip to the G7.

Joe Biden

00:05:05 - 00:05:07 ()

No, I didn't say that.

Question

00:05:07 - 00:05:07 ()

Joe Biden

00:05:07 - 00:05:09 ()

I didn't say "likely."

Question

00:05:09 - 00:05:09 ()

-- you're "considering."

Joe Biden

00:05:09 - 00:05:10 ()

I didn't say that either.

Question

00:05:10 - 00:05:11 ()

What -- what --

Joe Biden

00:05:11 - 00:05:13 ()

What I said was --

Question

00:05:13 - 00:05:15 ()

-- needs to happen?

Joe Biden

00:05:15 - 00:05:20 ()

-- depending on the state of play in the negotiations, it's possible I would either have to delay my trip -- not delay -- not go and do it virtually, or not go.

Question

00:05:20 - 00:05:26 ()

Mr. President, what has to happen? Mr. President, what has to happen?

Joe Biden

00:05:26 - 00:05:30 ()

I'll tell you when it happens.

Question

00:05:30 - 00:05:31 ()

Joe Biden

00:05:31 - 00:05:35 ()

One of the things I didn't know I had to be as President is a fortune teller.

Question

00:05:35 - 00:05:43 ()

Mr. President, when you said yesterday that the border could be chaotic for a while, does that mean you feel your administration was not prepared for the end of Title 42 this week?

Joe Biden

00:05:43 - 00:05:50 ()

No, no, no, no. What I was saying is it takes time to put some of what we want to do in place. For example, opening up consulates in other countries like Colombia and other places. That could make a big difference.

Joe Biden

00:05:50 - 00:05:55 ()

I'll take one more question, and then we're all going to lose our hearing.

Question

00:05:55 - 00:05:58 ()

Do you agree with Speaker McCarthy that this has to get a deal in principle before the beginning of next week?

Joe Biden

00:05:58 - 00:06:12 ()

I'm not going to make those kinds of judgments. I've been involved in negotiations my whole career. Some negotiations happen at the last second. Some negotiations happen way ahead of time. And -- but we'll see.

Joe Biden

00:06:12 - 00:06:13 ()

Aide

00:06:13 - 00:06:13 ()

All right. Thanks, everybody.

Question

00:06:13 - 00:06:14 ()

Aide

00:06:14 - 00:06:15 ()

Thank you, everybody.

Question

00:06:15 - 00:06:18 ()

[No audio] Trump? Do you have anything on the Trump civil case?

Question

00:06:18 - 00:06:19 ()

[No audio] Thank you, sir.

Question

00:06:19 - 00:06:20 ()

[No audio] The Trump civil case. Do you have anything in response to the civil case?

Joe Biden

00:06:20 - 00:06:21 ()

Aide

00:06:21 - 00:06:26 ()

[No audio] All right. Thanks, everybody.

Joe Biden

00:06:26 - 00:06:29 ()

[No audio] Thank you.