Biden sows 'major' confusion over press conference
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
United States President Joe Biden and Vice-President Kamala Harris picking up lunch at Taqueria Habanero in celebration of Cinco de Mayo.
PHOTO: NYTIMES
Follow topic:
WASHINGTON – It was the biggest Joe Biden press conference never to happen.
Speaking to reporters at a White House event with economy advisers on Friday, the President sowed confusion when he made the surprise announcement that he was holding “a major press conference” in the afternoon.
No press conference was on the schedule and, barring national crises or shockingly new, big events, presidential press conferences are always announced far – usually days – in advance.
President Biden, who has been criticised for the scarcity of his press conferences, finished his meeting with his advisers.
He then whipped out into Washington to mark Cinco de Mayo, an annual celebration in the United States-Latino community, by buying tacos.
And the major press conference?
It never happened.
According to a source familiar with the gaffe, President Biden had really been referring – or wanted to refer – to an interview already scheduled to air on MSNBC News on late Friday evening. AFP

