Biden Spox John Kirby: “Not Gonna Get All Hot And Bothered” About Xi Calling Putin A “Dear Friend”
On 3/21/2023, a reporter asked NSC Spox John Kirby, “The President considers Vladimir Putin to be a war criminal. I’m just wondering what it means to President Biden that Putin calls Xi Jinping a friend.
MR. KIRBY: I don’t think we’re overly exercised about
that comment. I mean, these are — it wasn’t that long ago, MJ, where they were talking about a relationship without limits — right? — partnership without limits. So, we’re not going to get all hot and bothered about the use of “friends.” What we’ve seen is these are two countries that are growing closer together, that see in each other useful purposes for pushing …
Q: does the White House hope that the lab leak theory is not true?
Doocy: John, about the bill President Biden signed yesterday: He says he will declassify COVID origins intel except info that would harm national security. Is there a bigger national security threat than something that killed 1.1 million people —
MR. KIRBY: Yeah. Yeah, I’ve seen —
Doocy: — in this country?
MR. KIRBY: I’ve seen some of the commentary on your network about this.
The President obviously has to balance transparency with national security, Peter. Of course, he does …
Doocy: Then where is it?
MR. KIRBY: Hey, let me finish my answer.
Doocy: If we’re talking about the beginning of his term —
MR. KIRBY: Added the Department of Energy and the National Labs. Told them to keep studying it. We have kept Congress informed. Some of that has to be …
Doocy: Then does the White House hope that the lab leak theory is not true?
MR. KIRBY: We don’t have a hope one way or the other, Peter. What we want is the ground truth, wherever that takes us — wherever the science takes you, wherever the facts takes you.
Biden Spox John Kirby: There Are “Areas Where We Believe There’s Room For Cooperation With China”
Doocy: In November, when President Biden met with Xi, he said, “I want to make sure that every country abides by the international rules of the road.” Does he think China is abiding by the international rules of the road?
MR. KIRBY: In some cases, we have significant concerns about China’s behavior, particularly their coercive and aggressive behavior, for instance, in the South China Sea … But there are other areas where we believe there’s room for cooperation with China, and we want to be able to pursue that too. But in order to do that, Peter, you got to keep those lines of communication open. You got to have that ability to talk, particularly when things are tense like they are right now. And that’s what the President wants to get back to.
Biden Spox John Kirby Can’t Give A “Date Certain” On When Biden Will Declassify COVID Origins Intel
Reporter: The bill that the President signed yesterday on COVID origins, it calls for the declassification within 90 days. Can you give us a better sense as to when that information will actually be declassified? Are we talking about days, weeks, months?k
MR. KIRBY: I can’t give you a date certain right now …
Reporter: When it’s out there, people will bekkble to see it for themselves and form their own opinion. At this point, has the President formed an opinion as to what he thinks happened — he think happened?
MR. KIRBY: No, he has not, nor would he. Why would he? …
Biden Spox John Kirby Says Biden Has “Fine Feel And Touch” On Foreign Policy, “Asks Great Questions”
Reporter: And my second question. I want to draw on your long experience in the Navy and in the national security apparatus. You’ve served — I don’t know how many administrations. How many administrations?
MR. KIRBY: Well, over the course of my entire Navy career?
Reporter: Everything.
MR. KIRBY: Oh, gosh. I don’t know. Six or seven, probably.
Reporter: So, I wonder if you could share with us any observations you might have as to the current Commander-in-Chief and whether you observe anything distinct or unique about how he approaches the central business of the presidency, which is decision-making.
MR. KIRBY: James, I don’t know that that’s a fair question for me. I’m just the — I’m just the guy talking for the NSC up here. But, look, I didn’t — I didn’t know the President before I — I took this job. But I’ve since got a chance to get to know him. And I’ll tell you, his fine feel and touch, particularly on issues of foreign policy and national security, is very, very distinct. And he asks great questions.
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Biden Not Gonna Get All Hot And Bothered, Fine Feel & Touch On Foreign Policy, Asks Great Questions