HYGO News Biden Freaks Out On Finnish Reporter, Speech Malfunctions, 2 list of pre-approved reporters
Biden Freaks Out on Finnish Reporter, Speech Malfunctions, Pre-Selected Reporters in Finland
On July 13, 2023, President Joe Biden held a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinisto in Helsinki, Finland, to celebrate Finland’s recent accession to NATO. The event, intended to project alliance unity, instead produced several notable moments: Biden lashed out at a Finnish reporter who asked about U.S. political instability threatening the alliance, Biden contradicted himself within seconds by saying he “absolutely guaranteed” NATO commitment and then admitting “no one can guarantee the future,” he called on only two pre-selected reporters before ending the press conference, and he appeared to confuse his ancestry with his nationality by referring to Ireland as his home during the Q&A.
Biden Confronts Finnish Reporter Over NATO Question
The most discussed moment of the press conference came when a Finnish reporter from YLE, Finland’s national broadcasting service, posed a question about the reliability of U.S. commitment to NATO. The reporter asked: “The political volatility of the U.S. remains a big worry for European partners. Meanwhile, back in Washington, a bipartisan group of senators has repeatedly failed to pass through Senate a bill that would prevent future U.S. presidents from withdrawing from NATO without Senate’s approval. What actions will you take to assure Finland that the U.S. will remain a reliable NATO partner for decades to come?”
Biden’s answer began with a strong assurance: “I absolutely guarantee it. There is no question. There’s overwhelming support from the American people. There’s overwhelming support from the members of the Congress, both House and Senate. In both parties.”
But moments later, Biden appeared to contradict his own guarantee: “No one can guarantee the future, but this is the best bet anyone could make.”
A follow-up question from a second Finnish reporter referenced Biden’s shifting language. She asked President Niinisto directly: “Hearing this answer that no one can guarantee a future, are you worried that the political instability in the U.S. will cause issues in the alliance in the future?”
Biden interjected before Niinisto could respond, visibly agitated: “Let me be clear, I didn’t say we couldn’t guarantee a future. You can’t tell me whether you’re going to be able to go home tonight. No one can be sure what they’re going to do.”
The confrontational tone was striking in a diplomatic setting. Biden was snapping at a reporter from a country that had just joined NATO, during a press conference specifically designed to welcome Finland into the alliance. The reporter had simply quoted Biden’s own words back to him, and his response was to challenge her personally rather than clarify his position.
Biden then attempted to steady his answer: “I’m saying as sure as anything can possibly be said about American foreign policy, we will stay connected to NATO. Connected to NATO, beginning, middle and end. We’re a transatlantic partnership. That’s what I’ve said.”
The Guarantee Contradiction
Biden’s back-to-back statements created a logical problem that the Finnish press seized on. Within seconds of each other, he said:
Statement one: “I absolutely guarantee it.”
Statement two: “No one can guarantee the future.”
When the second reporter pointed out the tension between these statements, Biden denied that he had said what he had clearly said. His insistence that “I didn’t say we couldn’t guarantee a future” was a reframing of his own words, not a clarification. He had, in fact, said “no one can guarantee the future,” and the reporter was correct to note the contradiction.
The exchange highlighted a recurring challenge for the Biden White House: the President making definitive statements that he then had to walk back or reinterpret, leaving foreign allies and reporters uncertain about the actual U.S. position. For Finland, a country that had maintained decades of neutrality before joining NATO specifically because of the Russian threat, clear and unambiguous assurances from the American president were not a minor diplomatic courtesy but a national security necessity.
Pre-Selected Reporter List and Abbreviated Press Conference
Biden continued his practice of using a pre-selected list of reporters to call on during the Helsinki press conference. After concluding his opening remarks, Biden consulted his list: “Next question, President Biden. Oh, I’ve called on somebody. I’m sorry. Wall Street Journal. Andrew?”
The press conference was notably short. Biden called on just two pre-selected reporters before the event was concluded with an announcement: “This concludes the press conference. Thank you very much.”
Ending a joint press conference with a NATO ally after only two questions from U.S. reporters drew criticism from the White House press corps, particularly given the volume of news events occurring simultaneously. The ongoing Russian war in Ukraine, the domestic debt ceiling aftermath, the Hunter Biden investigation, and the cocaine scandal at the White House were all topics reporters wanted to address.
Biden Confuses Ireland With His Home
During the press conference, Biden made a geographical gaffe that added to the day’s collection of verbal stumbles. While discussing diplomatic relationships, Biden garbled his reference to various leaders and appeared to call Ireland his home.
As captured in the transcript, Biden said: “The Frederickson of Denmark and the Ministry of Kobo’s daughter of Ireland, daughter of Ireland, you can tell us a forties step on thinking of home, the daughter of Iceland.”
The passage was largely incoherent, but the phrase “thinking of home” in connection with Ireland was consistent with Biden’s frequent emphasis on his Irish heritage, which he had highlighted extensively during his April 2023 trip to Ireland. Critics noted that Biden had never lived in Ireland and that referring to it as “home” during a NATO press conference in Finland reflected confusion rather than sentimentality.
Finnish President Niinisto’s Diplomatic Response
President Niinisto handled the awkward press conference with characteristic Finnish reserve. He warmly welcomed Biden: “First of all, Joe, Mr. President, I want to thank you for visiting Finland. We have had possibilities of meeting each other quite often during the…”
Biden interjected with a characteristically informal remark: “I like it here even better.”
Niinisto then pivoted to substance: “And I want to say, I think we’ve had a very productive summit.”
The Finnish president’s measured diplomacy stood in contrast to Biden’s combative interaction with the Finnish press. Where Niinisto focused on the substance of the alliance and the productivity of the summit, Biden had spent much of his limited press time arguing about what he had and had not said about guarantees.
Key Takeaways
- Biden lashed out at a Finnish reporter during the Helsinki press conference, snapping “you can’t tell me whether you’re going to be able to go home tonight” after she quoted his own words about not being able to guarantee the future.
- Biden contradicted himself within seconds, declaring “I absolutely guarantee it” regarding NATO commitment and then saying “no one can guarantee the future, but this is the best bet anyone could make.”
- He called on only two pre-selected reporters before ending the joint press conference with Finnish President Niinisto, drawing criticism for the abbreviated format.
- Biden appeared to refer to Ireland as his home during a garbled passage about European leaders, adding to the day’s verbal stumbles.
- Finnish President Niinisto diplomatically steered the event toward substance, telling Biden “I think we’ve had a very productive summit” while the American president was arguing with reporters.
Full Transcript
The following is transcribed from the video audio:
My second question on that note to Mr. President Nienesta, hearing this answer that no one can guarantee a future, are you worried that the political instability in the US will cause issues in the alliance in the future? Let me be clear, I didn’t say we couldn’t guarantee a future. You can’t tell me whether you’re going to be able to go home tonight. No one can be sure what they’re going to do. I’m saying as sure as anything can possibly be said about American foreign policy, we will stay connected to NATO. Connected to NATO, beginning, middle and end, we’re a transatlantic partnership. That’s what I’ve said.
First of all, Joe, Mr. President, I want to thank you for visiting Finland. We have had possibilities of meeting each other quite often during the… I like it here even better. Yep.
The Frederickson of Denmark and the Ministry of Kobo’s daughter of Ireland, daughter of Ireland, you can tell us a forties step on thinking of home, the daughter of Iceland. And I want to say, I think we’ve had a very productive summit. Next question, President Biden. Oh, I’ve called on somebody. I’m sorry. Wall Street Journal. Andrew?
Next question, President Biden, please. Next question, President Biden, please. Oh, I’m sorry. I guess it’s Orlet and Sina. Thank you. This concludes the press conference. Thank you very much.
Nishpablik Broadcasting Service. My question is for Mr. President Biden. The political volatility of the U.S. remains a big worry for European partners. Meanwhile, back in Washington, a bipartisan group of senators has repeatedly failed to pass through Senate a bill that would prevent the U.S. presidents in the future from withdrawing from NATO without Senate’s approval. I’m sorry, without what I’m sorry, I didn’t hear the last part of your question. In Washington, a bipartisan group of senators has repeatedly failed to pass through Senate a law that would prevent future U.S. presidents from withdrawing from NATO without Senate’s approval. What actions will you take to assure Finland that U.S. will remain a reliable NATO partner for decades to come? I absolutely guarantee it. There is no question. There’s overwhelming support from the American people. There’s overwhelming support from the members of the Congress, both House and Senate. In both parties, notwithstanding the fact there are some extreme elements of one party, we will stand together. American people know, for those since the end of World War II and the formation of NATO, that our security rests in the unanimity among European and transatlantic partners. And so this is, you know, no one can guarantee the future, but this is the best bet anyone could make.