WH Let Saudi Gov Speak To PGA & LIV Golf Merger, U.S. Not Investigate Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage

NSC Spokesman John Kirby Says He’ll “Let The Saudi Government Speak To” Merger Between PGA/LIV Golf On 6/6/2023, a reporter asked NSA Spokesman John Kirby, “Does the Biden administration have any concern with a major U.S. sports league getting into business with the Saudi Public Investment Fund?

MR. KIRBY: I think we’ll let — we’ll let the Saudi government speak to that.

Karine Jean-Pierre Won’t Comment On PGA Tour/LIV Golf Merger: “Just Don’t Have Anything To Share” On 6/6/2023, a reporter asked Karine Jean-Pierre, “Sorry, I obviously know that John didn’t have any comments on the golf merger, but I want to see if you had any comments on that. Is the White House concerned about the Saudis’ human rights record? Now you have a merger, you know, between an American PGA and the Saudi-backed LIV tour. What are the feelings on that?

KJP: Look, I — I’m — certainly, I’m going to be in line with my NSC colleague and say the same: I’m not going to be commenting on that particular merger. So, we don’t — just have — don’t have anything to share at this time.

NSC Spox John Kirby: U.S. Not Doing Any Investigation Into Last Year’s Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage Reporter: back on the Nord Stream pipeline. You say there are three European investigations underway?

MR. KIRBY: Yep. Reporter: Does the U.S. know when any one of those may be concluded? MR. KIRBY: I’d have to refer you to those three countries. Reporter: Is the U.S. actively investigating — MR. KIRBY: No. Reporter: — who did it? Why not?

MR. KIRBY: There are three European countries that have embarked on independent investigations of this. And we’re comfortable in their ability to take a hard look at this and to come up with conclusions.

Reporter: So there were — there’s this gas pipeline situation, there’s the drone attack in Moscow a few weeks ago, there’s the missile attacks into Moscow. Is it fair to say Ukraine itself may be doing a lot more of these more brazen things than the U.S. is willing to admit?

MR. KIRBY: I’ll let Ukraine speak to their activities. What I can tell you, Ed — we’ve said it before: We don’t support attacks inside Russia

Q: any potential consequences, military aid conditional? A: I guarantee additional assistance Reporter: Moments ago, you reiterated the administration position that you do not support attacks inside of Russia. I’m wondering if the administration has communicated that there would be any potential consequences to Ukraine if attacks like that do continue. For instance, have you made military aid conditional on preventing some of those attacks? Or is Russia on the hook here because this is an illegal invasion?

MR. KIRBY: … I won’t go into detail about the private discussions that we’re having with Ukrainians.

Reporter: So, you can’t tell us whether or not, other than — other than expressing you don’t want an escalation, you can’t tell us if there’s any conditional —

MR. KIRBY: Oh, this is the repercussions thing. Look, I mean, I think — just take a look at everything we’ve done in the last 15 months, and I guarantee you you’re going to see additional security assistance packages in coming days and weeks. We’re going to continue to make sure that Ukraine can succeed on the battlefield, as President Biden has said, for as long as it takes.

Q: Ukrainians were planning an attack on Nord Stream pipeline? A: not engage in discussion Reporter: There’s a report in the Washington Post that the U.S. had reports that Ukrainians were planning an attack on the Nord Stream pipeline. Do you have any comment on the intelligence report of that? And there are also suggestions that Russia may have been responsible for that. You know, why was Russia initially poi- — the finger was pointed at Russia when the U.S. might have had information that Ukrainians were planning the attack?

MR. KIRBY: So, I’m certainly not going to engage in a discussion about the intelligence matters here from the podium, specifically with regard to that

Q: not logical Russia cut off water supply to Crimea? not logicalblowing up one’s own pipeline Reporter: Does it seem believable to you that Russia would destroy a dam and flood ethnic Russian villages and cut off a water supply to Crimea? I mean, that doesn’t seem logical. It seems about as logical as blowing up one’s own pipeline, doesn’t it?

MR. KIRBY: We’ve come to no conclusions on this. We’re working with the Ukrainians. We’ll try to get as much information as we can.

WH “Let Saudi Gov Speak To” PGA & LIV Golf Merger, U.S. Not Investigate Nord Stream Pipeline Sabotage