Biden Suggests Russia Could Make “Minor Incursion” Into Ukraine, Yells at Reporter, Claims He “Outperformed” in Rare Press Conference

On 1/19/2022, President Biden held his first formal press conference in over a year — lasting nearly two hours — and made a series of statements that generated immediate controversy. Biden suggested a “minor incursion” by Russia into Ukraine would elicit a softer response than a full-scale invasion, horrifying Ukrainian officials. He yelled at a reporter to “go back and read what I said” about his voting rights speech, claimed he had “outperformed what anybody thought would happen,” said empty shelves were a myth with 89% of store goods in stock, and made “no apologies” for the Afghanistan withdrawal.

”Minor Incursion” Stuns Ukraine

Biden’s most consequential statement came on Russia. “Russia will be held accountable if it invades. And it depends on what it does,” Biden said. “It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do. But if they actually do what they’re capable of doing with the force amassed on the border, it is going to be a disaster for Russia.”

The distinction between a “minor incursion” and a full invasion sent shockwaves through Ukraine. “One Ukrainian official said he was, and I’m quoting here, ‘shocked that President Biden would give a green light to Vladimir Putin in this way,’” a reporter relayed in real time. “Kiev, in the words of another, is ‘stunned’ by what President Biden had to say.”

A reporter pressed Biden: “Are you effectively giving Putin permission to make a small incursion into the country?”

“Good question. That’s how it did sound, right?” Biden acknowledged, before attempting to walk back the remark.

”Go Back and Read What I Said”

Biden yelled at Real Clear Politics correspondent Philip Wegmann when asked about his Atlanta voting rights speech comparing opponents to segregationists. “Go back and read what I said and tell me if you think I called anyone who voted on the side of the position taken by Bull Connor, that they were Bull Connor,” Biden snapped. “That is an interesting reading in English. I assume you got into journalism because you liked to write.”

“Well, now that makes two presidents who have yelled at me — Trump and Biden,” Wegmann wrote after the exchange.

”I Didn’t Overpromise. I Outperformed.”

When a reporter noted that inflation was up, his signature legislation was stalled, and national divisions were “just as raw as they were a year ago,” Biden pushed back forcefully. “I didn’t overpromise. And what I have — I probably outperformed what anybody thought would happen,” Biden said. “We have made enormous progress.”

He challenged reporters directly: “Can you think of any other president that’s done as much in one year? Name one for me. I’m serious.”

Empty Shelves a Myth — 89% In Stock

Biden addressed reports of empty store shelves. “I often see empty shelves being shown on television — 89% are full, which is only a few points below what it was before the pandemic,” Biden said, characterizing the coverage as misleading while acknowledging “our work’s not done."

"Very Few Schools Are Closing”

Biden insisted reports of school closures were overblown. “Very few schools are closing. Over 95% are still open,” he said. “You all phrase the questions — when people watch this on television — ‘My God, there must be all those schools closing. What are we going to do?’ 95% are still open."

"I Make No Apologies” for Afghanistan

When asked about competence of government, Biden was defiant about Afghanistan. “We were spending a billion dollars a week in Afghanistan for 20 years,” he said. “There is no way to get out of Afghanistan after 20 years easily. Not possible, no matter when you did it. And I make no apologies for what I did.”

Inflation Will Be “Very Hard”

Biden offered a candid assessment of inflation’s impact. “That’s going to be the place for most middle class people, working class people — they get hit the most,” Biden said. “Pull up to a pump and all of a sudden instead of paying $2.40 a gallon, you’re paying $5 a gallon. That’s going to be really difficult.”

“It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be very hard,” Biden acknowledged.

2022 Elections Could Be “Illegitimate”

In a remark that drew bipartisan criticism, Biden suggested the 2022 midterm elections could be “illegitimate” if voting rights legislation was not passed. “Oh yeah, I think it could be illegitimate,” Biden said when asked. He later had to clarify through aides that he was not questioning the legitimacy of upcoming elections.

Breaking Up Build Back Better

Biden acknowledged he would need to break up his Build Back Better bill into smaller pieces. “We’re going to have to probably break it up,” he said, adding he believed he could get support for “the $500-plus billion for energy and environmental issues.”

Key Takeaways

Biden distinguished between a Russian “minor incursion” and full invasion of Ukraine, with Ukrainian officials saying they were “shocked” and “stunned” that he appeared to give Putin a green light.
Biden yelled at reporter Philip Wegmann to “go back and read what I said” about his voting rights speech comparing opponents to segregationists.
He claimed he had “outperformed what anybody thought would happen” and challenged reporters to name another president who had done as much in one year.
Biden said 89% of store shelves were full and characterized empty shelf coverage as misleading.
He acknowledged inflation would be “very hard” for working families and said he would have to “break up” Build Back Better to pass parts of it.

Transcript Highlights

The following is transcribed from the video audio (unverified — AI-generated from audio).

It’s one thing if it’s a minor incursion and then we end up having a fight about what to do and not do.
Go back and read what I said and tell me if you think I called anyone Bull Connor. That is an interesting reading in English.
I didn’t overpromise. And what I have probably outperformed what anybody thought would happen. We have made enormous progress.
89% are full, which is only a few points below what it was before the pandemic.
There is no way to get out of Afghanistan after 20 years easily. Not possible. And I make no apologies for what I did.
It’s going to be hard. It’s going to be very hard.

Full transcript: 5837 words transcribed via Whisper AI.