As Biden’s one-year anniversary in office draws to a conclusion on Wednesday, the US President is sure to face a long list of questions about ties with Russia, the country’s rocky coronavirus response, and the future of democracy in the US, Reuters reported.
At 4 p.m. Eastern time, Biden is scheduled to meet 30 reporters in the East Room of the White House for a rarely prolonged back-and-forth (2100 GMT). It is his second solo official press conference at the White House during his administration. At previous events, he has accepted questions on a frequent basis.
The event, which takes place a day before Biden’s one-year anniversary in office, comes at a difficult time for him: his signature Build Back Better legislative agenda is on hold due to fractious congressional negotiations, coronavirus hospitalizations are at an all-time high, and his popularity has dwindled as the pandemic continues.
Russia’s military build-up near Ukraine has heightened tensions. Biden’s voting rights drive has stalled in Congress due to widespread Republican opposition, at a time when doubts about the country’s democratic system are being raised.
His advisers view the media briefing as a chance to outline the president’s agenda of his second year in office and sell the American people on his first year’s achievements. When Biden makes his State of the Union address to Congress on March 1, he will convey a broader message.
Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary, hailed an increase in vaccines and jobs during Biden’s first year in office on Tuesday.
Despite the fact that the virus continues to kill roughly 2,000 people each day in America, and the unemployment rate has plummeted amid record job creation, four-fifths of qualifying Americans have received at least one vaccination injection.
Some advisers, as well as Biden, have voiced dissatisfaction with the negative coverage of the administration by many of the journalists he will encounter on Wednesday.
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