President Joe Biden has broken modern presidential tradition by not hosting an in-person press conference during his first 40 days in office.
The silence has caused speculation on what is going on behind-the-scenes inside the White House. Critics have asked if the person in charge at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue is really Biden?
According to one powerful D.C. insider, Vice President Kamala Harris may have taken the reigns of control at the White House.
That’s what Rep. Matt Gaetz, R-F.L., told Fox News’ Maria Bartiromo on Sunday. Gaetz was asked why Harris was the only one meeting with the leaders of America’s international allies.
“What is going on? Are we getting ready for some kind of a transition?” Bartiromo asked.
After all, it was Harris — not Biden — that met with French President Emmanuel Macron on Feb. 15. She later called Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. She also had a one-on-one phone call with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu last Thursday.
While former Vice President Mike Pence did speak directly with some international leaders, it was generally former President Donald Trump that interacted with his foreign counterparts.
“You have to wonder whether or not the transition to Harris has already begun. Joe Biden’s had more nap time than he’s had questions from reporters,” Gaetz responded.
Gaetz said Biden’s administration was paying less attention to China, whose foreign and trade policy has become increasingly hostile towards the United States and our allies, and has re-focused on the Middle East.
“You’re right. While the Middle Kingdom grows more ambitious in their goals, we are still toiling away in the Middle East,” he said.
“Joe Biden has had more attacks on Syria than he’s had press conferences.”
Gaetz then questioned whether far-left Democrats were having voting remorse for putting Biden into office.
“Is this what you wanted, a warmonger president like Joe Biden when Donald Trump did so much to bring peace to the world and to actually confront the real threat — China — not to be trying to build democracies out of blood and sand and Arab militias in a desert far away?”
The White House dismissed critic’s suggestions that Biden is avoiding press conferences on Friday, and said he will host an in-person press conference by the end of March.
“We look forward to holding a full press conference in the coming weeks, before the end of the month,” White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki said.
“We’re working on setting a final date for that … but this president came in during a historic crisis, a pandemic like the country had not seen in decades and decades and an economic downturn that left tens of millions of people out of work,” she said. “So, I think the American people would certainly understand if his focus and his energy and his attention has been on ensuring we secure enough vaccines for all Americans … and then pushing for a rescue plan.”
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The Horn editorial team