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National Museum of Slavery
Belas, Angola

5:54 P.M. WAT

THE PRESIDENT:  You are a brave crowd to come out in the rain.  I brought my hat just in case.  I don’t have much hair to help me.  (Laughter.)

Leaders of Angola, government and civil society, students, young leaders, staff of the National Slavery Museum, distinguished guests, I sincerely mean this when I say thank you for being here in the rain with us today.  Thank you for allowing me to be here.  It’s an honor — a genuine honor to be with you today in Angola. 

I just got off the phone with the vice president, telling her I’m sorry she’s not with me to be here today, you know, with you in Angola, the — a vibrant city.  And — and I — look, not the city.  The city, I know, is not Angola, but in Angola in a vibrant city.

And I’m joined by members of the United States Congress, senior officials of my administration, and American business and civic leaders.  We think that it’s important that we get together.  We thank all people of Angola for your warm hospitality, and I mean that s- — please sit down if you have a seat.  Don’t — I’m sorry.  (Laughter.)  I wasn’t sure you all had seats. 

We are gathered at a someln — a solemn location.  Because to fully consider how far our two countries have come in our friendship, we have to remember how we began. 

We hear them in the wind and the waves.  Young women, young men born free in the highlands of Angola, only to be captured, bound, and forced on a “death march” along this very coast to this spot by slave traders in the year 1619. 

In the building next to us, they were baptized into a foreign faith against their will, their names changed against their will to Anthony and Isabella.  Then they were condemned to a slave ship bound for the Middle Passage, packed together in hundreds by hundreds.  A third of those souls did not survive the journey.  One third died on the way.

But Anthony and Isabella made it to the British colony in Virginia, where they were sold into servitude and became two of the first enslaved Americans in a place that, 150 years later, would become the United States of America.  They had a son, considered the first child of African descent born in America: William Tucker.

It was the beginning of slavery in the United States.  Cruel.  Brutal.  Dehumanizing.  Our nation’s original sin — original sin — one that haunted America and casts a long shadow ever since. 

From the bloody Civil War that nearly tore my nation apart to the long battle with Jim Crow in the ni- — to — into the 1960s for the civil rights and voting rights movement — which got me involved in public life — during which American cities were burned, to the still unfinished reckoning with racial injustice in my country today. 

Historians believe people of Angola accounted for a significant number of all enslaved people shipped to America.  Today, millions of African Americans have roots in Angola. 

As I said at the U.S.-African Leaders Summit that held in Washington two years — I held in Washington two years ago, “Our people lie at the heart of the deep and profound connection that forever binds Africa and the United States together.  We remember the stolen men and women and children who were brought to our shores in chains, subjected to unimaginable cruelty.” 

Here with us today are three Americans who are direct descendants of Anthony and Isabella, those first enslaved Americans — Afri- — Africans in America.  Wanda Tucker of Hamilton [Hampton], Virginia. Wanda, are you there?  There you are, Wanda.  God love you.  (Applause.)  Her brother Vincent and Carolita as well.  Thank you for being here.  We’re going to write history, not erase history.

The Tuckers learned their family history around the dinner table.  That history led Wanda here in Angola a few years ago.  She did not know how to speak the language, but that didn’t matter.  When she arrived, Wanda said she felt something profound, like she’d come home.  That was her comment to me.  She called it the “connection without words.”

Ladies and gentlemen, I am here today to honor that connection between our people and to pay tribute to the generations of Angolans and American families, like the Tuckers, who have served in government for over — I’ve served in government for over 50 years.  I know I only look like I’m 40 years old, but I’ve been around hanging in the government for — (laughter) — I hate to admit it — for 50 years.

But in that 50 years, I’ve learned a lot.  Perhaps most importantly, I have learned that while history can be hidden, it cannot and should not be erased.  It should be faced.  It’s our duty to face our history: the good, the bad, and the ugly — the whole truth.  That’s what great nations do. 

That’s why I chose to speak here at the National Slavery Museum today, just as I toured.  And that’s why your president visited the National Museum of African American Culture in the — in Washington, D.C. — the second most-visited museum in the States — and he did it a few years ago.

He saw what I see: the stark contradiction between my country’s founding principles of liberty, justice, and equality and the way we long treated people from Angola and from throughout Africa.

I’ve often said America is the only nation in the world founded on an idea.  Most countries are founded based on race, ethnicity, religion, geography, or some other attribute.  But in the United States, founded on idea, one embedded in our Declaration of Independence, and that is that all men and women are created equal and deserve to be treated equally throughout their lives. 

It’s abundantly clear today we have not lived up to that idea, but we’ve never fully walked away from it either.  And that’s due in no small part to the determination and dreams of African Americans, including Angolan Americans. 

The proud descendants of the diaspora who helped build my nation as they rebuilt their own families and their own sense of self.  They were the forebearers as well — resilient, faithful, even hopeful — hopeful that joy would cometh in the morning, as it says in the Bible; hopeful that our past would not be the story of our future; and hopeful, in time, the United States would write a different story in partnership with the people brought here in chains to my nation from Africa.  It’s a story of mutual respect and mutual progress. 

That’s the history that brings me here, the first American president ever to visit Angola.  Over time — (applause) — and I’m proud to be.  Over time, the relationship beca- — between our countries has been transformed from distance to genuine warmth.  Today, our relationship is the strongest it’s ever been. 

Throughout my presidency, it’s been my goal — goal of the United States to build a strong partnership with peoples and nations across the continent of Africa — true partnerships aimed at achieving shared goals, bringing to bear the dynamism of America’s private sector and the expertise of our government to support aspirations of African entrepreneurs, experts, leaders both inside and outside of government.

Because we know the challenge that define our age demand African leadership.  One out of every four human beings on Earth will live in Africa by the year 2050.  And the ingenuity and determination of young Africans in particular, like the young society leaders I just met with here today, will be undeniable forces in that human progress. 

That’s why I’m so optimistic, because of that generation.  In no small part, it will be in their hands and the hands of people across Africa to expand access to clean energy, to tackle threats of global health, to grow global — a global middle class. 

In many ways, Africa’s — Africa’s success is and will be the world’s success.  As I said at the United States — U.S.-Africa Summit: The United States is all in on Africa’s future. 

Two years ago, I pledged to deliver $55 million [billion] in new investments in Africa and to mobilize American businesses to close new deals with African partners. Two years ago, we are out way ahead of schedule.  More than 20 heads of U.S. government agencies and members of my Cabinet have traveled to Africa, delivering over $40 billion in investments thus far. 

And we have announced nearly 1,200 new business deals between African and American companies — and American companies — total will be worth $52 billion, including investments in solar energy, telecom, mobile finance, infrastructure, and partnerships with American airlines to expand opportunities for tourism so you don’t have to fly to Paris to get here — although Paris is pretty nice.  (Laughter.)

Here in Angola alone, the United States has invested $3 billion during my short presidency.  We see the bonds between our countries across sectors, from clean energy to health care to sports.  The American Basketball Associat- — National Basketball Association launched Basketball Africa League and Angola is the reigning champion.  (Applause.)

And we see the impact of American culture across — African culture across the American culture, from music to entertainment to fashion to arts and so much more. 

Student exchanges between our countries are essential and must increase.  Students in both countries can be — better understand one another if they know the country, if they visit the country, if they’re educated in the other country.  An increased connection between us makes a big difference.

Being all in on Africa means making sure African voices are heard at the tables that matter most.  Under my leadership, the United States brought — we brought in the African Union as a permanent member of the G20 economies, and we insisted on more African representation among the leaders of the International Monetary Fund and other world financial institutions. 

We’ve also pushed to ensure that developing nations do not — do not choose — have to choose between paying down unsustainable debt and being able to invest in their own people.  And we’re using our voi- — our own voice to increase Africa’s presence on the U.N. Security Council at the United Nations.  That should happen.  You can clap for that, folks.  You should be in there.  (Applause.)  

The United States continues to be the world’s largest provider of humanitarian aid and development assistance.  And that’s going to increase.  You know, that’s the right thing for the wealthiest nation in the world to do. 

And today, I’m announcing over $1 billion in new humanitarian support for Africans displaced from homes by historic droughts and food insecurity.  (Applause.)

But we know African leaders and citizens are seeking more than just aid.  You seek investment.  And so, the United States is expanding our relationship all across Africa — from assistance to aid to investment to trade — moving from patrons to partners to help bridge the infrastructure gap. 

I was told, by the way, when I got elected I could never get an infrastructure bill passed because the last guy spent eight years saying, “Next month” — four years saying, “Next month.”

Well, guess what, folks?  We’ve done it.  (Applause.)  A trillion — a trillion three hundred billion dollars for infrastructure to narrow the digital divide, drive inclusive, sustainable economic growth.

We’re looking for partners who understand that the right question in the year 2024 is not “What can the United States do for the people of Africa?”  It’s “What can we do together for the people of Africa?”  (Applause.)  That’s what we’re going to do.

Nowhere in Africa is the answer more exciting than here in Angola.  It starts with our governments, whose partnership is stronger, deeper, and more effective and active than any point in history.  It’s testament to your president, who had the vision to carry out this relationship — carry this relationship forward.  And it’s a testament to Angolan citizens across the private sector and civil society who have forged strong bonds with your American counterparts. 

And together, we’re engaged in a major joint project to close the infrastructure gap for the benefit of Angolans, Africans across the continent, Americans, and the world.  We’ll all benefit, as you benefit.  You’re — you can produce much more agriculture, for example, than states that can’t.  You’re going to increase their longevity, and you’re going to increase your impact and profit. 

It’s called the Lobito Corridor.  We’re building railroad lines from Angola to the Port of Lobito, in Zambia and the DRC, and, ultimately, all the way to the Atlantic — from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean.  It’ll be the first trans-continental railroad in Africa and the biggest American rail investment outside of America.

And I must tell you up front, with American press here, I’m probably the most pro-rail guy in America.  (Laughter.)  I’ve ri- — I’ve ridden over 1,300,000 miles on a daily basis to my work, 210 — -20 miles a day for the last 50 years. 

Well, I didn’t do it as president.  I stayed in the White House a lot. 

But all kidding aside, folks, we can do this.  We can do this.  It’s in our power. 

It will not only generate significant employment, it will also allow individual countries to maximize their own domestic resources for the benefit of their people and sell critical minerals that power the world’s energy transformation and our fight against climate change and to transport them in a fraction of the time and lower cost.  A shipment that used to take over 45 days will now take 45 hours.  That’s a game changer.  That increases profit.  That increases opportunity.

The Lobito Corridor represents the right way to invest in full partnership with a country and its people. 

As part of this project, we will install enough clean energy power to power hundreds of thousands of homes, expand high-speed Internet across — for millions of Angolans, which is a cos- — as consequential today as electricity was two generations ago. 

And we’re investing in agriculture and food security, fulfilling the needs of countries without agricultural capacity and expanding opportunities for countries growing the crops; connecting farmers across the Lobito — along the Lobito Corridor to new markets, expanding opportunity and prosperity — you doing that, having the means to do it. 

The United States understands how we invest in Africa is as important as how much we invest.  In too many places, 10 years after the so-called investment was made, workers are still coming home on a dirt road and without electricity, a village without a school, a city without a hospital, or a country under crushing debt. 

We seek a better way: transparent, high-standard, open-access investments that protect workers and the rule of law and the environment.  It can be done and will be done.  (Applause.)

And, folks, the partnership between Angola and the United States also extends to supporting peace and security in this region and beyond. 

Pl- — Pr- — President Lourenço, I want to thank him for his leadership and mediation in regional conflicts.  I also want to thank him for Angola speaking out against Russia’s unprovoked war against Ukraine.  It matters.  It matters when leaders speak out.  (Applause.)

Ladies and gentlemen, as you know, I am in the final weeks of my presidency.  You don’t have to clap for that.  (Laughter.)  You can if you want. 

But I wanted to come to Angola.  Although I’ve been chairman of the Africa America subcommittee for a long time, I had never made it to Angola.  Because although I don’t know exactly what the future will hold, I know the future runs through Angola, through Africa.  I mean it sincerely.  (Applause.)  I’m not kidding.

I know that any nation that wants to thrive in the next century must work as partners with workers, entrepreneurs, and businesses here in Africa.  I know that the connection between our communities, our universities, our sports, our civil societies, our families, our people will only grow deeper.  We have to stay focused.

The story of Angola and the United States holds a lesson for the world: two nations with a shared history in evil of human bondage; two nations on opposite sides of the Cold War, defining struggle in the late part of the 20th century; and now, two nations standing shoulder to shoulder, working together every day for the mutual benefit of our people. 

It’s a reminder that no nation need be permanently a — the adversary of another, a testament to the human capacity for reconciliation, and proof that from every — from the horrors of slavery and war, there is a way forward. 

So, I stand here today — I mean this sincerely — deeply optimistic.

When I — by the way, 20 years ago, when I was a senator, I had a cranial aneurysm.  They s- — got me to the hospital in time.  I remember asking the doctor, “What are my ch-” — he said, “Oh, your chances are good.  They’re about 30 percent.”  (Laughter.)  (Inaudible.)  When it was all over, he was deciding whether or not it was congenital or environmental.  And I said, “I don’t give a damn.  I’m here.”  He said, “You know what your problem is, Senator?  You’re a congenital optimist.”  (Laughter and applause.)  I am.

About the possibilities and progress that lie just beyond the horizon.  Together, we can and will chart a futuche worther [future worthy] of great nations, worthy of the highest aspirations of our people. We just have to remember who we are: We’re Angolans; we’re Americans.   

As I often say in Ameri- — to the American people: There’s nothing — nothing beyond our capacity if we work together.  And today, I say to the people of Angola and all the people of Africa, there is nothing beyond our capacity if we do it together. 

Thank you.  And God bless you and keep you all safe.  (Applause.)  Thank you, thank you, thank you.  And thank you for waiting. 

And I got my hat.  Thanks, everybody.  I really mean it.  You’re very patient.

Q    Mr. President, anything on South Korea and martial law?

THE PRESIDENT:  I’m just getting briefed on it.  I’m just getting briefed.  I haven’t heard the details.

6:13 P.M. WAT

The post Remarks by President Biden Honoring the Past and Future of the Angolan-U.S. Relationship | Belas, Angola appeared first on The White House.

     The over one billion disabled people around the world have made incredible contributions — propelling us all forward in the pursuit of progress.  This International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we recommit to ensuring that people with disabilities are treated with dignity and respect and have every opportunity to reach their full potential.
     I remain proud that one of my earliest acts as a United States Senator was co-sponsoring the Rehabilitation Act, banning discrimination on the basis of disability by any entity funded by the Federal Government.  And later, I co-sponsored the Americans with Disabilities Act, which banned discrimination against disabled people in workplaces, schools, public transit, and more — finally making a commitment to build an America for all Americans.  Together, these laws declared what we have always known to be true:  that Americans with disabilities deserve dignity, respect, and an equal chance at the American Dream. 
     Over 180 nations have passed similar laws in the years since, codifying their commitment to equal justice and opportunities for people with disabilities.  Still, these laws have not brought an end to the work we need to do.  Around the world, people with disabilities are subject to shameful discrimination, harassment, exploitation, abuse, and violence.  And too often, they struggle to get by — whether it is finding an accommodating job, enjoying public spaces, receiving quality education, or getting to and from school or work.
     That is why my Administration has worked to uplift people with disabilities in everything we do.  My American Rescue Plan provided $37 billion to strengthen home-based services so that more people with disabilities have the option to live independently at home.  My Bipartisan Infrastructure Law makes historic investments in making transit, rail, and airports more accessible, so that people with disabilities can commute and travel with dignity.  The Department of Justice issued a rule that ensures State and local governments make their web content and mobile apps more accessible to Americans with disabilities so they can more easily access local government services, emergency services, voting information, and publicly funded education.  And today, the Department of Labor announced a proposed rule that would gradually phase out certificates that permit employers to pay workers with disabilities less than the full minimum wage.
     My Administration has also worked with partners around the world to secure the rights of people with disabilities.  I released the first-ever Memorandum on Advancing Worker Empowerment, Rights, and High Labor Standards Globally, which is working to ensure that people with disabilities are represented in our work to promote labor rights.  And I re-established the role of Special Advisor on International Disability Rights at the Department of State to ensure our foreign policy reflects our commitment to this community.  In October, my Administration participated in the first-ever G7 Ministerial on Inclusion and Disability, joining leaders around the world to advance disability rights.  Together with leaders from Central Asia, I launched a joint disability rights initiative to help make education and infrastructure more accessible. And as a co-chair of the Global Action on Disability Network, the United States is continuing to advocate for disability rights on the world stage.
     Today, I am thinking of a quote from disability rights activist Judy Heumann, who once wrote:  “Change never happens at the pace we think it should.  It happens over years of people joining together, strategizing, sharing, and pulling all the levers they possibly can.”  On International Day of Persons with Disabilities, we show our gratitude for all the leaders and activists who have advocated and worked to make real our Nation’s founding promise — that every American has a right to be recognized and respected for who they are.  And we recommit to building a world where we support disability pride and give everyone an equitable chance at achieving their highest aspirations.
     NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 3, 2024, as International Day of Persons with Disabilities.  I call on all Americans to observe this day with appropriate ceremonies, activities, and programs.
     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
third day of December, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
 
 
                               JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

The post A Proclamation on International Day of Persons with Disabilities , 2024 appeared first on The White House.

Luanda, Angola

MODERATOR:  All right, well, thanks, everyone.  So, we’re going to do this gaggle on background, attributable to a senior administration official.

For your awareness, but not for your reporting, this is [senior administration official].  And by all means, feel free to share this audio with the pool. 

[Senior administration official] will share a few words at the top on how the bilat went and answer questions. 

Q    Any embargo?

MODERATOR:  No embargo.

All right, over to you. 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Okay, great, yeah.  So it was a really warm and substantive conversation that President Lourenço and President Biden had, along with their teams.  On both sides, it was a really substantive delegation and substantive set of points. 

So, I’ll just say on the U.S. side, as you all may know, in addition to President Biden and the national security team, we also had the head of the U.S. Trade and Development Agency; the Millennium Challenge Corporation; the DFC, Development Finance Corporation — which kind of shows you how deep this partnership with Angola has become. 

And the partnership with Angola was basically the theme.  President Biden started off talking about how this is a really transformed partnership over the last certainly centuries, but particularly the last three years.  So when you think about — this is a relationship that began in slavery, which President Biden has called the original sin of the United States; then went through the Cold War, when we were mostly on opposing sides.  But then, since President Lourenço took office, and since President Biden took office four years ago, it has really become a deep partnership and a really warm one.  So, President Biden and President Lourenço both reflected a lot on how far we’ve come on that.

Then, I would say the core of the conversation was on how that partnership is being manifested in the Lobito Corridor.  The Lobito Corridor, as you probably know by now, is a massive and really ambitious investment that the United States is partnering with other both external stakeholders as well as regional countries on.  We’ve invested upwards of $3 billion in it thus far.  More to come. 

But the important thing — and this is something that President Biden talked about — is it is not just about infrastructure, it is about people, were his exact words.  And it’s about people, it’s about the communities that it will touch.  It’s about investing in a responsible and sustainable way, ensuring there’s inclusive economic growth, including that there is contracting that is transparent and not corrupt. 

So, President Biden talked a lot about what he sees.  He loves trains, and he did say, “I’m a train guy, and I love trains,” but he did talk about how that works in the favor of people and communities as well.

As you likely know by now, President Biden and President Lourenço will have a chance to go see the Lobito Corridor in person tomorrow, probably along with many of you.  They will also be co-hosting regional leaders, so the leaders of Zambia, DRC, and Tanzania.  It’ll be the vice president of Tanzania and the president of the other two.  So it was sort of a preview of the conversation tomorrow where the presidents will be able to sort of see what’s been in action, lift up what the G7 has done in support of Lobito, and how it reflects the AU’s vision as well.  So that was huge area of focus. 

Other issues they discussed included global issues such as democracy — how democracy takes constant work; democracy is always fragile is something President Biden said. 

They talked a lot about regional issues.  President Lourenço has taken a really helpful leadership role in mediating the conflict in the Democratic Republic of Congo.  President Biden thanked him for that work.  They talked about the way forward on that, but President Lourenço shared his perspective. 

We talked about President Lourenço’s forthcoming chairmanship of the AU, which will start next year, and his helpful role in that regard.

Touched upon other regional and global issues, and then sort of finished off with just a reflection again of how far the partnership has come. 

So, happy to take any questions. 

Q    All right, first of all, can you share with us any details of this meeting that the President had with the descendant of one of the original slaves?  Or however you word that.

And then, Angola’s UNITA Party said today that the President missed a, quote, “great opportunity” to learn more about civil society, to interface with civil society and talk about human rights issues.  What’s your response to that?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah, so on the descendant of slavery you mentioned, so this is the Tucker family.  So Wanda Tucker and then two of her other family members are here as well.  And these are descendants of the original shipment of slaves who came over, I think around 1619.  They will be at the President’s remarks later this afternoon as well. 

The President met with Wanda, at least last night — I’m not sure if the other two or not — and he obviously takes this story very personally in terms of the personal manifestation of it. 

But, yeah, the William Tucker Society has been a really important voice on sort of telling that story of the relationship.

On civil society: So, the President’s delegation has already met with civil society and youth leaders.  We also know civil society is not monolithic, so getting lots of voices.  The President will meet with other representatives from civil society.  So this is — you know, democracy and governance issues came up and are certainly something that I’d say our President did not miss an opportunity to talk about.

MODERATOR:  Trevor?

Q    Two, kind of, related ones.  I thought it was kind of interesting that Lourenço, in his opening remarks, brought up security and cooperation.  Directionally, where is that headed?  Is that headed towards a deeper, you know, alliance, partnership?  Where is that headed?

And then, you mentioned other regional issues and global issues.  Did China come up at all?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  China didn’t come up.

On security cooperation: Yeah, this is a really exciting, I’d say burgeoning area of cooperation that’s particularly picked up steam over the last couple of years.  Secretary Austin was here about a year ago, I believe sometime in 2023.  There have been other visits on this.  And just in the last few weeks, we have initiated the State Partnership Program, which we’re looking forward to deepening with the Angolans.

So, I do think this is an area of burgeoning cooperation, I would say.  It’s obviously a relatively new area.

Q    And then, did — sorry — did Russia come up at all?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No.

Q    Thanks so much for doing this.  During —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Oh, I’m so sorry, let me correct myself.  Russia came up briefly in the sense that there’s a concern of, with the war in Ukraine, there may be arms that will end up in the African continent, and that represents, you know, a risk security wise.

The President also did thank President Lourenço for his principled stand on Ukraine. 

Q    Thanks for doing this.  Did Biden bring up any new investments that could be going to the Lobito Corridor in terms of just new funding?  Or did that come up?  I know there’s been talk that there would be some deliverables, but was that mentioned at all during the meeting?  Or —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  The President’s remarks on Lobito were much more, sort of, the principle behind it, what we’re trying to demonstrate by Lobito.  But there are some investments and announcements that are coming out.  I’m not sure if they’re out yet, so I’ll defer you to [senior administration official], who I think is speaking with you all later on Lobito.

Q    Okay.  And then, just one more.  President Lourenço brought up — during his remarks, he touched on, you know, how he would like to see more engagement from U.S. investors.  Was there any more conversation around, you know, like U.S. companies coming to Angola and Africa more broadly?  What, kind of, was touched on there, if anything?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah.  Absolutely.  This is part of, I think, what the President has pushed forward on Lobito.  And more broadly, under President Biden in general, there’s been a record number of Cabinet officials who have come to Africa, who often bring with them, sort of, the commercial diplomacy aspect as well. 

Tomorrow, at the Lobito Corridor Summit, there will be companies there who will be speaking about their investment.  So this is definitely, I would say, front and center of how they’re thinking about it. 

Q    Just one more.  Sorry.  Did President-elect Trump come up during the meeting?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No.  President Lourenço didn’t raise it.  Obviously, all these conversations we have are in the context of there is a transition coming.  Fortunately, Africa policy has long been bipartisan.  So, while we obviously can’t predict what the new team will do, we’ve seen a lot of support for investment projects from the other side.  And we’ve heard good support from both sides of the aisle in terms of supporting Angola’s leadership on eastern DRC. 

So that would — I would say it was the only way it was even tangentially talked about.

Q    The media was asking questions about the pardon, and then Biden didn’t answer them, but he made a joke about “and welcome to America.”  Just wondering, (inaudible) —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  It didn’t come up.  Actually, it didn’t.

Q    They didn’t —

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  There was mention, no.

Q    I figured that was the case.

Q    I was wondering whether you could elaborate a bit on this, on what you just said about Russia and how it could lead to more, like, arms coming into Africa.  And where exactly — have you seen proof of it already?  You know, that kind of thing. 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  It was actually a pretty brief comment in the context of overall the security environment.  So it wasn’t — I actually can’t elaborate because that was as far as it went.

Q    And on the DRC, like, anything more you can share?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Yeah.  Yeah, yeah. 

So, on the DRC — so you’re likely tracking President Lourenço has led the Luanda Process, which we really commend him for.  That’s been a partnership with Avril Haines, our Director of National Intelligence.  President Lourenço, you know, continues to play a pretty strong role.  The op tempo of those meetings has increased.  We had two ministerials in the last 10 days on that.  There’s been a head of state level meeting announced now for mid-December, so there’s some discussion of that. 

Overall, you know, what President Biden conveyed on that was, first, like, “Thank you, President Lourenço,” and then, second, that he has — President Biden has heard bipartisan support for the mediation efforts.  And, you know, the conflict in eastern DRC benefits no one.  Potential investors, the human cost.  So, President Biden basically expressed that he hopes that the partnership on mediating that will continue.

Q    Is the investment, like, in the Lobito Corridor or any of the other public health or energy investments, are any of those contingent on the next administration continuing to disburse the money, or is the money already there?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I defer you to the Lobito Corridor gurus because I don’t want to give you bad —

MODERATOR:  Yeah, I think we’re trying to work a briefing for [senior administration official] later today, maybe after the speech, just to preview Lobito and everything.

Q    Okay.  But just in terms of how Trump only adjacently came up, like not directly came up, because of the context of the transition — was that because there was any concern about whether this work would continue or (inaudible)?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I mean, I think it’s just we don’t want to speak for the next administration.  We don’t know what choices they’ll make.  But I’ll say, you know, there’s a lot of private sector energy already.  There’s a lot of other stakeholders.  This isn’t a U.S.-exclusively endeavor.  It’s a G7 endeavor, Africa Finance Corporation, AFDB — development bank.  So there’s a lot of other players as well, but I think we’ll hear more tomorrow on that.

MODERATOR:  Thank you all.  Hope this was helpful.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President João Lourenço, highlighting the transformation of the U.S.-Angolan relationship and reaffirming our joint commitment to continue working together to address global challenges. The two leaders discussed significant trade and investment opportunities that keep our companies competitive and defend the interests of workers, addressed the shared responsibility to protect and strengthen democracy in Angola and around the world, and celebrated the continued growth of the U.S.-Angola defense relationship. President Biden underscored the significance of the more than $3 billion in U.S. commitments to infrastructure projects in Angola in support of the Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor, a multinational initiative to help accelerate inclusive economic growth and connect markets along the Corridor to the world, all while creating quality jobs and improving lives and livelihoods both along the Corridor and in the United States. He also expressed appreciation for Angola’s role in promoting peace and security in sub-Saharan Africa, including its efforts to mediate the conflict in eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC).  

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MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF STATE

SUBJECT:       Delegation of Authority Under Section 614(a)(1)

of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961

By the authority vested in me as President by the Constitution and the laws of the United States of America, including section 621 of the Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 (FAA), I hereby delegate to the Secretary of State the authority under section 614(a)(1) of the FAA to determine whether it is important to the security interests of the United States to furnish up to $63 million in assistance to Ukraine without regard to any provision of law within the purview of section 614(a)(1) of the FAA.

You are authorized and directed to publish this memorandum in the Federal Register.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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The United States is disappointed in the lack of a legally binding international agreement fit to meet the moment on addressing plastic pollution at the INC-5 and we are resolved to make more progress in the next stages of this negotiation. While the global movement to reign in the urgent threats of plastic waste in the environment has gained tremendous momentum, a small group of countries and producers stood in the way of progress to protect their profits and perpetuate an inadequate status quo. The United States spearheaded an ambitious approach in Busan, reflected in our own domestic efforts, and we continue to back a global framework that supports private investment, good jobs, and our environment.

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On the occasion of President Joseph R. Biden Jr.’s visit to Angola, we celebrate the transformation and deepening of the U.S.-Angola relationship.  This trip marks the first visit ever by a sitting U.S. president to the Republic of Angola, and the first visit of a U.S. president to sub-Saharan Africa since 2015.
 
This visit comes on the heels of a meeting in November 2023, when President Biden hosted President João Lourenço in the Oval Office in Washington, D.C.  In the time before and since, U.S. and Angolan counterparts have worked closely to advance both Presidents’ visions to expand impactful high-standard economic opportunities and improve global and regional security.  Together, the United States and Angola acknowledge the past horrors of slavery and its legacy, while looking forward to a bright future of continually deepening collaboration between our nations.  Today, President Biden and President Lourenço will meet in Luanda at the Presidential Palace to discuss trade, investment, and infrastructure; security and stability; and deepening U.S.-Angolan cooperation.  Tomorrow, President Biden will travel to Lobito, Angola for a Summit on infrastructure investment in the region with leaders from Angola, Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Tanzania, and Zambia. Information on continuing and new U.S.-Angolan partnership initiatives is provided below.
 
TRADE, INVESTMENT, INFRASTRUCTURE, AND DEVELOPMENT
 
At the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, the United States committed to focus on partnership with Africa through investment.  Advancing two-way trade and investment bolsters participation in the global economy, accelerates sustainable development, and scales innovation and entrepreneurship, resulting in increased economic opportunity for citizens on both sides of the Atlantic.  The United States and Angola are also working with other partners through the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment (PGI) to enhance trans-continental connectivity from the Atlantic to the Indian Oceans that enables additional commercial investment.  Tomorrow, President Biden and President Lourenço will co-host a multilateral Lobito Trans-Africa Corridor Summit to further accelerate the development of this critical economic corridor.

• The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA) is an important U.S. initiative to enhance trade with African countries, under which Angola has benefited from trade preferences since 2004 and leveraged the annual AGOA Forum to advance trade and economic ties with the United States.  In 2023, two-way U.S.-Angola trade totaled approximately $1.77 billion, making Angola the United States’ fourth largest trade partner in sub-Saharan Africa. 
  
• In November 2024, the U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Angola’s Ministry of Industry and Commerce establishing the U.S.-Angola Commercial and Investment Partnership.  This Partnership will formalize regular collaboration between the two governments and with U.S. and Angolan industry stakeholders to enhance commercial ties and increase the ease of doing business.  Separately, the U.S. Department of Commerce is developing a Sub-Saharan Africa Rail and Port Trade Mission to Angola and South Africa in 2025 to connect U.S. companies with opportunities to meet demand for U.S. rail and port solutions in African markets.  Members of the President’s Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa (PAC-DBIA)—which advises the President, through the Secretary of Commerce, on ways to strengthen commercial engagement between the United States and African countries—also traveled to Angola to join President Biden for a portion of the trip.
  
• In February 2024, to support trade between the U.S. and Angolan agricultural sectors, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) led an Agribusiness Trade Mission to Angola.  The mission supported 140 business-to-business meetings among sector leaders, with U.S. participants reporting $13.3 million in projected 12-month sales stemming from the trip.
  
• In October 2024, the United States and Angola signed an Open Skies Agreement to facilitate increased air connectivity and provide significant new opportunities for trade, tourism, and investment.  This follows a deal announced by Boeing and Angolan flag carrier TAAG in 2023 to purchase four new 787s, increasing TAAG’s capacity for long-haul flights.  
  
• To facilitate U.S.-Angola bilateral commercial relations in sectors such as energy, manufacturing, equipment and machinery, and aerospace and defense, the United States is connecting U.S. and African businesses with new buyers, suppliers, and investment opportunities through the Prosper Africa initiative.  Since January 2021, U.S. departments and agencies in the Prosper Africa initiative have closed 12 business deals and investments in Angola with a combined value of $6.9 billion.
  
• Since 2022, the Export-Import Bank of the United States (EXIM) has provided $2.9 billion in financing toward projects in Angola across the renewable energy, infrastructure, and telecom sectors.  For example, in May 2024, EXIM signed a final $363 million loan agreement for Acrow Bridge Corporation to install bridge infrastructure connecting rural communities across Angola in support of PGI. The projects financed in Angola support an estimated 6,200 U.S.-based jobs.  In 2024 alone, EXIM has issued an additional $2.7 billion in non-binding Letters of Interest across the agricultural, power, rail, health, education, and hospital sectors in Angola.
  
• For the past four years, the U.S. Department of the Treasury has closely supported Angola’s efforts to reduce its debt vulnerabilities through technical assistance.  The program has successfully enabled the Angolan government to reprofile its domestic debt and lower interest costs.  In December 2024, the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) will provide an additional $650,000 in technical assistance to support the Angola Ministry of Finance with debt and financial risk management.

LEADING GLOBALLY AND REGIONALLY TO KEEP PEOPLE SAFE AND PROMOTE THRIVING SOCIETIES

Together the United States and Angola are enhancing the security, safety, and well-being of their people by tackling shared challenges.  In addition to traditional security challenges, increasingly, we face also threats such as climate change, food insecurity, and disease that do not recognize or respect national borders.  Together, we are enabling more professional and accountable government actors that protect civilians, safeguard natural resources, and build more resilient health systems, and ensure no one is left behind.

• In September 2023, U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin became the first U.S. Secretary of Defense to visit Angola.  In June 2024, the U.S. Department of Defense hosted the inaugural Joint Angolan-American Defense Cooperation Committee (DEFCOM) at the Pentagon.  During DEFCOM, representatives signed an agreement to allow the exchange of logistics goods and services between our respective militaries, which facilitates cooperation as we continue to build our growing defense partnership.  Angola and the U.S. Department of Defense, with the Department of State as appropriate, are continuing to plan for cooperative work in the areas of engineering, medicine, cyber, peacekeeping, maritime security, and the development of a coast guard.  The next DEFCOM meeting is planned to be held in Angola in 2025.  
  
• In September 2024, Angola agreed to join Department of Defense’s State Partnership Program (SPP) executed by the National Guard Bureau.  Through the SPP, Guard units work with partner militaries to bolster capabilities, improve interoperability, and enhance principles of responsible governance.  The SPP fosters long-term relationships across all levels of society and encourages the development of economic, political, and military ties between U.S. states and partner nations.  The National Guard Bureau is currently in the process of pairing Angola with a State National Guard that is well-aligned with Angola’s requirements.
  
• Since 2020, the United States has dedicated nearly $17 million toward training and professionalization for the Angolan military, including English language training, expanding women’s access to military education courses in the United States, and maritime security-focused training.  In just the past year, the U.S. increased annual International Military Education and Training assistance to Angola from $500,000 to $600,000.  The United States is also providing the Angolan Marines with eight rigid-hull inflatable boats and other critical equipment, with the final four boats scheduled to be delivered to Angola by the end of 2025.  
  
• The United States has been proud to partner with Angola to address regional and global issues, and it remains a steadfast partner in navigating challenging and complex situations.  The United States is providing more than $1 billion in additional humanitarian funding which will assist countries across Sub-Saharan Africa, including Angola, to respond to humanitarian crises including displacement and El Nino-induced drought.
  
• The United States is supporting Angola’s development of a cyber security strategy through almost $1.4 million in projects providing training and mentorship to the future cybersecurity workforce and assisting the Angolan Ministry of Defense’s creation of a cyber defense capability.
  
• The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has initiated discussions with the Angolan Ministries of Interior, Finance, and Trade on a three-year, $5 million program to bolster the two countries’ management, oversight, and accountability of their trade and travel sectors.  The program would focus on modernizing information sharing, allowing the governments to interdict threats and hazards at the earliest possible point, and mitigate and monitor threats from transnational criminal organizations and other malign non-state actors.
  
• Between 2019 and 2023, the Treasury Department provided technical assistance to help strengthen Angolan institutions’ ability to identify, detect, and prosecute money laundering, terrorist financing, and other crimes in support of Angola’s political and economic reforms.  USAID and the State Department are working with various Angolan institutions—including Parliament, the National Court of Accounts, and the Ministries of Health, Education and Finance—to build their public financial management, debt management, and anti-corruption capacity.  Capacity is also being built to support Angola’s implementation of the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative standard.
  
• The United States and Angola are working together to combat timber trafficking through the creation of a National Forest Inventory, a critical tool for any country that seeks to conserve and manage its forest resources sustainably.  The State Department, through the Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL), announced $750,000 in new programs in Angola to improve the identification, interdiction, and confiscation of illicit commodities.  USAID will add $1.3 million from fiscal year 2023 Southern Africa regional Sustainable Landscapes resources to an existing partnership of $1.3 million to expand the partnership between the U.S. Forest Service and the Government of Angola’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forests to continue work on the forest inventory, establish a partnership for carbon market utilization, and develop a Forest Monitoring System.
  
• The State Department’s Bureau of Population, Refugees, and Migration provides funding to support refugee assistance, as well as regional funding to UNHCR to support the nearly 56,000 refugees and asylum seekers in Angola.  
  
• Angola is a founding member of the Partnership for Atlantic Cooperation, an initiative committed to the interconnected goals of advancing a peaceful, stable, prosperous, open, safe, and cooperative Atlantic as well as to conserving the Atlantic Ocean as a healthy, sustainable, and resilient resource for generations to come.  To develop Angola’s capacity for ocean science research and support for ocean-based food security, the United States is collaborating with the Atlantic community to leverage support for Angola’s ocean research vessel Baia Farta.  The United States and Angola have concluded a Letter of Intent to formalize collaboration, including, for example, on bringing U.S. experts to Angola to support ocean science capacity building and training through the Fulbright Specialist program.  In addition, the U.S. public-private partnership with OceanX will identify opportunities for Angolan early career scientists and youth to access ocean science research, foster a new generation of ocean advocates, and collaborate on initiatives with NGOs and philanthropies, including with OceanX aboard the research vessel OceanXplorer in early 2025.
  
• Through the U.S. President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR), more than 25,000 people living with HIV in Angola are receiving life-saving treatment, building efforts to reduce mother-to-child HIV transmission.  Over the past two decades, the United States has invested nearly $251 million to provide HIV testing, prevention, care, and treatment services, and to strengthen public health systems through optimized laboratory services, quality data management, and supply chain security in Angola.
  
• Since 2006, USAID has provided nearly $415 million to address malaria through the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) in Angola.  In the past year, PMI distributed almost 5 million fast-acting malaria medicines and more than 9 million rapid diagnostic tests to clinics and communities to protect and treat Angolans.  More than 12,000 Angolan health workers have been trained since 2023 to diagnose and treat malaria.  Angola experienced a 29 percent decrease in malaria deaths in PMI-focused provinces in 2023 compared with 2020 levels.
  
• USAID is in the process of re-establishing a bilateral Mission in Angola to continue expanding the presence of the United States in Angola and further strengthen our emerging strategic partnership.  
  
• The United States, in partnership with COVID-19 Vaccines Global Access (COVAX) and the African Vaccine Acquisition Trust (AVAT), donated more than 11 million safe and effective COVID-19 vaccine doses to the people of Angola.
  
• The United States is proud to work with Angola on bolstering African-led solutions to current and future health emergencies.  In September 2024, the United States announced $500 million and one million mpox vaccine doses to support African countries to prevent and respond to the current mpox outbreak.  We are delivering on that commitment, with two thirds of the more than $500 million of support to mpox preparedness and response already available and at work supporting countries in the region.  All one million vaccine doses are currently available for allocation by WHO and Africa CDC based on needs and demand in the region.  Angola has joined the United States as a Global Health Security partner, which will foster greater collaboration as both countries strive to protect the health, lives, and economic well-being of our citizens and people throughout the world.  

CELEBRATING THE U.S.-ANGOLA RELATIONSHIP

The United States and Angola are bound by enduring historical ties and invigorated by our dynamic future.  We share a commitment to reckon with the horrific history of the trans-Atlantic trade of enslaved people by striving to reconnect cultures and celebrating collaboration between our nations.  People are at the heart of this connection.  Today, there are nearly 12 million Americans of Angolan descent.  These relationships—rooted in family, friendship, and community—improve and enrich our lives.  They drive our cooperation, underpin our shared values, and elevate our aspirations.

• In 1619, a vessel carrying enslaved Africans who had been captured in Angola and forcibly marched over one hundred miles along a route known as the Kwanza Corridor landed in present-day Hampton, Virginia.  As many as 6 million enslaved people were kidnapped from their homes and forced from Angolan shores.  We are committed to learning from the horrors endured by enslaved people and honor their descendants, who continue to fight for civil rights, justice, and freedom.  The United States supports Angola’s nomination of the Kwanza Corridor to UNESCO’s list of World Heritage Sites as a way to look forward, to reconnect cultural ties, and to celebrate Angola’s richness and beauty.  
  
• The United States is pleased to announce a grant of $229,000 to support restoration and conservation of the 1786 Álvaro de Carvalho Matoso Residence, Angola’s National Slavery Museum Building.  Founded in 1977, the Museum offers programming promoting a message of harmony, humanism, and respect for human rights.  The funds will go toward the restoration of the building’s exterior and interior galleries.
  
• The United States and Angola look forward to a future strengthened by people-to-people ties that reconnect cultures, promote dialogue, and encourage creative collaboration between our nations.  In August 2024, the City of Hampton, Virginia, the Fort Monroe Authority, the U.S. National Park Service, and Project 1619, Inc. hosted the annual African Landing Day Commemoration at the future site planned to honor the lives of the enslaved Africans stolen from Angola and taken to modern-day Hampton.  In September 2024, Hampton and the City of Malanje in Angola signed a Sister City agreement, which will further enshrine the deep connections between our citizens.  
  
• The United States and Angola share a commitment to enhancing dialogue with the African Diaspora.  President Biden established the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement (PAC-ADE) in December 2022.  PAC-ADE members discussed this historic visit to Angola with Assistant to the President, Senior Advisor to the President, and Director of the Office of Public Engagement Stephen Benjamin in October 2024.  PAC-ADE members also traveled to Angola to join President Biden for a portion of the trip.
  
• The United States supports Angola’s efforts to combat corruption, enhance accountability, and institutionalize the rule of law.  In October 2024, the United States and Angola agreed to schedule the next iteration of our bilateral human rights dialogue. We are collaborating on multiple human rights-focused initiatives.  These efforts require advancing democratic governance and respecting human rights, including the fundamental rights to freedoms of expression, press, association, peaceful assembly, and religion or belief.  The United States continues to support Angola’s commitment to reforms, including by amplifying civil society and faith-based organizations’ roles in improving the quality of elections and local decision-making.  The State Department has provided $10.5 million since 2021 in support of these goals, and plans to continue providing such funding, subject to the availability of funds.  
  
• The United States is moving forward with Angola to protect and improve democracy as the work of our time.  The State Department is building on its existing governance investments with an additional $700,000 for capacity building and specialized training to lawyers engaged in human rights defense and similar fields, to strengthen the efficiency and independence of the judicial system, and for the Angolan Ombudsperson’s office to increase engagement with citizens, supporting transparency and good governance.  In October 2024, the United States and Angola agreed to schedule the next iteration of our bilateral human rights dialogue.
  
• People-to-people ties are essential to the U.S.-Angola relationship.  Since 1968, more than 1,200 Angolans have participated in U.S. Government-sponsored educational and professional exchange programs, including the Fulbright Program, the International Visitor Leadership Program, the Mandela Washington Fellowship, and the Pan-Africa Youth Leadership Program, among others.  Through these programs, we are reconnecting cultures, promoting dialogue, and nurturing collaboration between our nations.
  
• In 2024, the United States is contributing almost $140,000 to expand English-language training through the English Access Scholarship Program (Access) and the Learning is Never Too Late program.  Access provides vocational English and 21st-century skills to 100 participants ages 17 to 25 in Angola.  The Learning is Never Too Late program offers English and digital journalism instruction to 40 girls in Luanda.  The U.S. Embassy in Luanda is also providing curriculum development training valued at $100,000 for English department faculty and conducting capacity building for English educators and university administrators.
  
• EducationUSA offers advising services at the U.S. Embassy in Luanda to Angolan students interested in pursuing higher education opportunities in the United States.  University partnerships have strengthened capacity in higher education administration, fostered joint research efforts, created faculty exchanges, and developed new academic programs in STEM-related fields.  Notably, a collaboration between the University of California, Berkeley, and Agostinho Neto University has led to significant advancements in agricultural research, benefiting both institutions and their communities.  
  
• In November 2023, Angola become the third African nation to sign the Artemis Accords, signaling its commitment to promoting the responsible use of space.  The United States and Angola will continue to work together to advance a common vision of space exploration for the benefit of all humankind.
  
• Since 2020, the U.S. Embassy in Angola has issued more than $490,000 in grants to support initiatives that are important to the Angolan people.  These grants have funded programs in entrepreneurship, English language, journalism, music, and intellectual property rights.  By addressing these critical areas, the Embassy aims to empower individuals and strengthen communities throughout Angola.

 
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East Room

12:54 P.M. EST

THE FIRST LADY:  Hello.  How are you?  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)  Hi.  Well, gosh.

In the swirl of the end of each year, we hope to begin to turn toward our hope for tomorrow.

So, as we celebrate our finally — final holiday season here in the White House, we are guided by the values that we hold sacred: faith, family, and service to our country, kindness toward all of our neighbors, and the power of community. 

So, that’s what inspired this holiday theme, what I think of this time of year: “A Season of Peace and Light.”

We begin with light from the stunning, rotating star above the East entrance, as when you all came in.  And walking in, we’re embraced by the sparkling spirit of the season, as light-filled greenery led us to the first Christmas tree display, dedicated to our Gold Star Families.  (Applause.)

And this year’s Gold Star Tree exhibit is constructed of six large stars — I think you all saw them by now, right? — representing each branch of our military.  I thought it was just beautiful walking in and seeing the gold and leading to that tree.  You know, the names of fallen service members are written on the gold star ornaments on the accompanying Christmas trees. 

And the display honors the heroic men and women of our country, of our nation’s military who have laid down their lives for our country, those who are missing in action, and the families who carry on their legacies. 

So, may God bless our troops and their families.  (Applause.)

Then chiming bells call us to the East Colonnade, where bells of all sizes float above us and line every archway, filling the air with the sounds of the season. 

In the East Garden Room, a horse-drawn sleigh pulls us into the historic mansion.  It was really cute, wasn’t it?  (Laughter.)  And there, we enter another hall of light as lush garlands of green envelope us in the tranquility of nature.

In the Library, a twirling forest of vintage ceramic trees shines with the color of the holidays.  And walking in, I was taken back to my childhood, because when the — (laughs) — when that tree first came out — so you know it’s an antique — (laughter) — we knew Christmas had become — had begun. 

So, across the hall, in the Vermeil Room, we enjoy trees of stacked bows and vibrant silk flowers.

And artisanal breads spill out of the China Room, and we can almost smell their warm aroma filling the air with memories.

Earlier this year, I opened the Diplomatic [Reception] Room — it was the first time o- — to be on the tour, so — the expanded White House tour.  So, I hope you saw — those of you who were here other years, I hope you saw the difference.  You know, I tried to make the tour come alive.  It was important to me, as an educator.

So, this holiday season, for the first time, guests will be able to enjoy that space, and it features the White House Historical Association ornament honoring President Carter.  God bless him.  (Applause.)

Now, look above us.  Here in the East Room, a reflective canopy wraps us in a peaceful snowfall.

In the Green Room, a rainbow of glass ornaments fills the room with a burst of color and light.

And just outside the Green Room, we find the Official White House Menorah, made during Joe’s first year in the White House fo- — the carpentry shop made that themselves.  Make sure that you see it.  It’s truly beautiful.  And, you know, it came from wood on the — from the White House grounds in the renovation of this house 70 years ago.  That’s pretty incredible.

So, in the Blue Room — (laughs) — you know, you can’t help but smile when you see that tree.  (Laughter.)  And as the animals move up and down and — you know, and we see the holiday candy treats lining the tree, don’t you feel like you’re a kid again?  And sitting on a carousel, you know, is that world of light just spinning around us.

So, the White House Chris- — official Christmas tree also features the name of every state and territory and the District of Columbia as you look around the top of it.  And each year, I love watching all the visitors — and you’ll probably see it yourselves when you walk in there — looking for your home state and, you know, seeing your faces light up as you find, like, “Hey, there’s Delaware” or Pennsylvania, New Jersey.

In the Red Room, glowing gifts from under the Christmas tree lift — light the messages of peace above.

And for the State Dining Room, we invited military families from the USS Delaware and the Gab- — USS Gabrielle Giffords, the two Navy vessels that I have the honor of sponsoring, to create some paper garlands hanging throughout the room.  I thought they looked so beautiful.

And adorning the sparkling Christmas trees beside them are self-portraits by students from across the country.  (Applause.)  And I know that some of the teachers — some of their teachers are here and they helped decorate the tree.  So, how many of you are teachers?  (Applause.)  How many of you are teachers?  Lots of teachers.  I love that.  Because teachers always get stuff done.  (Applause.)  (Laughs.)

So, the trees are amazing.

Of course, the room also features this year’s incredible gingerbread house.  I love that.  (Applause.)  Didn’t you see it light up?  I mean, it was just so beautiful.  And did you see the ice-skating rink right in front of it?

And Susie and Carlo did — you know, you did such an amazing job.  So, thank you for creating that.  (Applause.)

And this year’s display captures the light of our theme, from the glowing windows to the bright star on top of the house — of the gingerbread house.

And in the Cross Hall behind me, spectacular flocks of hand-cut peace doves fly across the sky.  (Applause.)  I mean, it th- — really, how — how beautiful is that?

And finally, don’t miss that teddy bear driving the vintage red truck.  (Laughter.)

Now, to you, the people who brought this vision to life, our volunteers: This — (applause) — yes, all of you — this would not be possible without your work.  It’s been incredible to watch all of you transform this space year after year.

And you traded time with families for hours gluing, you know, with hot — hot glue guns and — you know, and Thanksgiving wris- — leftovers for tired wrists from wiring ornaments to the trees, because, you know, you can’t just hang it; it has to be, you know, hung perfectly.  (Laughter.)  I know, some of you are perfectionists.  That’s okay.  (Laughter.)

And some of — and you have to wrap them around and around the branch so the ornaments stay on, because you know thousands of kids are coming through here and they’re going to try to pull them off, so you have to make sure that they’re secure.  They always try too.  I mean, you know — 

But it’s during those long afternoons when your hands are sore from cutting the ribbons just so, from hanging the greenery, that’s when these lifelong friendships are made.  And that’s when the magic happens.

So, I’m already hearing about the text chains you’re creating to keep in touch.  (Laughs.)  I wish you could add my name to those.  (Laughter.)  

So, thank you for everything that you’ve done.

To Bryan Rafanelli, who’s back there in the corner — Bryan — (applause) — love you — and his team, I’m so grateful for your vision and leadership.  And to all the incredible decorators who were here, like Glitterville, BMF, Silver Lining, Cheree Berry Paper & Design, Frost Chicago, thank you for dedicating your time and talents to this design.

I’m also grateful to the National Confectioners Association for their partnership and unyielding support.  (Applause.)  Thank — so, let’s thank all of them.  (Applause.)

And there’s another person who helped bring the magic of our theme to life: the incredible illustrator of our 2024 White House Holiday G- — Holiday Guide, Zoe Ranucci.  Zoe, where are you?  Oh, there she is.  (Applause.) 

You’ll have to say hello to everybody, Zoe, because they so appreciate everything you’ve done.  Thank you for creating the beautiful artistry in your design. 

So, these last four years, you know, there’s a group of people who have helped us stay in touch with the American people, and they’re our correspondence volunteers.  (Applause.)  So, you can imagine how much I appreciate them, as an English teacher, and their writing skills, because I teach writing.  So, all of you are an essential part of our democracy, and I’m so grateful for your work.

Thank you all for your heart and for everything you’ve done to make this possible — the people’s house.

So, for Joe and for me, these are the final holidays at the White House.  So, standing with all of you, I remember the first time we walked across this threshold right over here on Inauguration Day, and the gravitational pull of history guided us forward, wrapping us in the centuries of stories that live here in this house.

Then we were finally able to welcome all the visitors.  And on public tours and on receptions and as volunteers decorated during the holidays during the four years, your laughter and ideas harmonized with the echoes of the past.  And in those moments, this became more than a historic house.  You made it a home, alive with purpose and possibility.

And that’s why, each year, we’ve opened the doors of the people’s house wider and wider so we can bring the light of more Americans into these halls. 

It’s been the honor of our lives to serve as your first family.  May our nation be blessed with peace and light this holiday season.

Merry Christmas.  Happy Holidays.  We love you all.

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  Love you.  (Applause.)

1:07 P.M. EST

The post REMARKS BY FIRST LADY JILL BIDEN AT THE UNVEILING OF THE 2024 WHITE HOUSE HOLIDAY THEME AND DECOR appeared first on The White House.

In September, the President announced a surge in security assistance for Ukraine to put Ukrainian forces in the strongest possible position before he leaves office. As part of that effort, he directed his team to fully utilize all funding available for Ukraine’s defense. Today, we are announcing a $725 million security assistance package for Ukraine, which includes substantial quantities of artillery, rockets, and air defense capabilities. The President has directed the Department of Defense to deliver the materiel to Ukraine rapidly — to ensure that Ukraine has the equipment it needs to defend itself. Between now and mid-January, we will deliver hundreds of thousands of additional artillery rounds, thousands of additional rockets, and other critical capabilities to help Ukraine defend its freedom and independence. 

In addition to this surge in assistance, the President has authorized a series of additional steps to strengthen Ukraine’s position in this war. Earlier this year, the President decided to prioritize U.S. air defense exports for Ukraine, and as a result of this decision, Ukraine has received hundreds of additional air defense missiles, with more deliveries on the way. To help Ukraine stabilize its lines in the east, the President has authorized the provision of non-persistent anti-personnel land mines to Ukraine as a limited exception to the Administration’s continuing landmine policy.  In response to the entry of North Korean soldiers into this war, the President has decided to adjust permissions on Ukraine’s use of U.S.-provided long-range missiles. And to disrupt Russia’s war machine, the United States has implemented major sanctions against Russia’s financial sector, with more sanctions to follow. 

The President is seeking to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position, and we will continue to execute upon this strategy in support of Ukraine and its fight for freedom. 

###

The post Statement from National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan appeared first on The White House.

On Sunday, December 1, 2024, the President signed into law:

H.R. 1505, the “No Stolen Trademarks Honored in America Act of 2023,” which modifies the prohibition on recognition by United States courts of certain rights relating to certain marks, trade names, or commercial names.

Thank you to all the Representatives and Senators who helped advance this legislation for their leadership.

###

The post Press Release: Bill Signed: H.R. 1505 appeared first on The White House.

Aboard Air Force One
En Route Luanda, Angola

2:45 P.M. CVT

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, just one note at the top before I hand it over. I know you’ve all seen the president’s statement on the pardon he signed for his son, Hunter. The president’s statement was quite comprehensive, but I’ll take your questions on this after my NSC colleague, Admiral John Kirby, previews the president’s trip to Angola and takes your question on foreign policy news of the day. And after — after that, we’ll — we’ll continue.

Go ahead, Admiral.

MR. KIRBY: Thanks, Karine.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sure.

MR. KIRBY: Just two things.

One, I think you may have seen the statement issued by the first lady and the president following reports of the death of Omer Neutra. This is a young, 21-year-old Israeli soldier who was apparently killed on — or during the 7th of October attacks, and only now have the Israelis been able to confirm his death. So, it’s a terrible, devastating loss for the family. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them. Our condolences go out to them.

As you may remember, the — they were two of the parents that the president had a chance to — to see personally in the Oval Office just about a month ago.

So, terrible news and wanted to pass that along. You’ll see that condolence letter.

Now, if I could just jump real quick to what we’re doing here on the trip. We’re obviously en — en route to Luanda right now, where President Biden will have a couple of days of several important meetings and discussions.

It’s a historic visit, not just because he’s — it’s the first time a U.S. president has visited Angola, but because it’s really emblematic of President Biden’s priority to strengthen global alliances and partnerships and, really, of our strategic approach to — when it comes to U.S.-Africa policy.

We have absolutely transformed this relationship, working on a range of critical issues together. Angola has been a strategic partner in working to improve security in Eastern DRC, and it’s also helped to advance the Lobito trans-Africa corridor, which, when complete, will connect Africa from the Atlantic Ocean to the Indian Ocean, making global supply chains more resilient, creating more economic opportunities for communities across the continent and the United States and, quite frankly, around the world too.

The Lobito Corridor epitomizes the model of U.S. international investment and engagement that the president has championed through his signature initiative: the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment — or “PGI,” as you know it.

Since President Biden and G7 leaders launched PGI back in ‘22, the United States has mobilized more than $80 billion in investments through federal financing, grants, and leveraged private-sector investments.

In the Lobito Corridor alone, the United States has committed some $3 billion, and we’re just one member. The EU, the Africa Finance Corporation have all chipped in to many, many mil- — many millions mo- — of dollars more.

You can expect that the president will discuss all of these and other important issues when he meets with President Lourenço in Luanda later tomorrow.

And then, also tomorrow, he’s going to get a chance to deliver some remarks that both acknowledges the horrific history of slavery that has connected our two nations but also looks forward to a future predicated on a shared vision that benefits both our peoples.

He’ll also have the chance to meet separately with members of congress, members of the Advisory Council on Doing Business in Africa, and members of the Advisory Council on Africa Diaspora Engagement, which he established during the Africa Leaders’ Summit December of ‘22.

And then, as we’re looking forward, we see this trans-Africa — Lobito trans-Africa corridor — that project as a real game changer for U.S. engagement in Africa. And that’s why, on Wednesday, he’s going to have a chance to go see for himself, talk to leaders of the countries situated along that corridor — Angola, the DRC, Zambia, Tanzania. And during those conversations, he’ll underscore his vision for stronger U.S.-Africa relationships and greater opportunities.

And I think, with that, I can stop.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Will.

Q Okay. I’ve got two on the pardon.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, no, no. Can you stick to foreign policy? If not, we’ll —

Q All right. I’ll do one — one there.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: If not, we’ll go to somebody else.

Q But I don’t want to run out of time.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yep.

Q On Syria, Jake suggested on Sunday that this suggests that — that the — the rebel offensive meant that maybe Syrian allies were distracted, which, you know, might not be such a terrible thing for U.S. foreign policy. But it also seems like there might be a chance that things are really destabilized, and there might be a big- — a bigger chance for, like, a global conflict.

MR. KIRBY: Yeah. We’re watching this really closely. And it’s too soon to know how this is all going to shake out.

As Jake said, it clearly is — it demonstrates to us that — that Assad’s biggest backers — Hezbollah, Iran, Russia — they’re all distracted and, quite frankly, we believe they’re weakened.

Now, whether that is the connective tissue here that means there’s going to be a big change in Syria, we just don’t know.

As — as Jake also pointed out, the group that’s moving in on Aleppo is a designated terrorist group by the United States. So, these are not — these are not good folks.

So, we’re — we’re going to watch this closely, but it’s — it’s really too soon to know what kind of impact it’s going to have across the country —

Q John, do you have any reaction —

MR. KIRBY: — or in the region.

Q John, do you have any reaction to some of the comments by Ukraine’s Zelenskyy over the past couple of days, kind of hinting at a phase post this hot stage of the war, talking about the idea of NATO membership in exchange for giving up the territory that they’ve already lost to — to Russia, diplomatic solutions inst- — to retaking some territory? Does any of that make sense? And — and are we getting closer to the end of this conflict?

MR. KIRBY: You know, Trevor, since the very beginning, we’ve made — we’ve made very, very clear that how — if and however this war ends, it’s got to end in a way that is commensurate with the — the aspirations of the Ukrainian people and, quite frankly, with President Zelenskyy and the policies that — and — and pursuits that he is — that he’s after. He gets to decide if and when he’s ready to negotiate, and he gets to decide what, if anything, he’s willing to negotiate.

Our job has been and will continue to be throughout the rest of this administration making sure that we’re putting him and his army in the best position of strength we possibly can so that when negotiations begin, he — he has leverage, he has some — some power at the table. And that’s what we’re focused on.

Q And one more. Over the Thanksgiving holiday, the president was seen exiting a bookshop with a copy of a book by a Columbia historian, Rashid Khalidi, who has referred to the Palestinian conflict essentially as being an ethnic cleansing operation. Why did the president choose to read that book at this point in his presidency?

MR. KIRBY: Look, when you say something like that, it reminds me of what Mark Twain said, that the — the — a man who refuses to read good books has no advantage over a man who cannot or won’t read those books.

I can’t speak to why the president made that particular purchase. Wasn’t with him. Haven’t had a chance to ask him. But he reads broadly, and he’s fascinated by history and the lessons of history and where that can take us going forward.

So, it doesn’t surprise me that he would go into a bookstore and get a book of history, particularly about the Middle East, to try to imbibe and to try to keep learning.

I mean, he really does believe in speaking, learning, thinking broadly, and that’s what that tells me.

Q And he was — he was actually reading it? He’s actually reading it?

MR. KIRBY: I don’t — I don’t know.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Anita.

Q Can we talk about Angola and the security cooperation aspect of this trip? What are some of the priorities for this administration? What are the areas that Angola has identified?

MR. KIRBY: I mean, I me- — I mentioned a big one, which is getting this Lobito Corridor and this — this rail corridor, economic corridor completed. nd it’s going to take years, but there’s already been a lot of work went into it.

And it’s going to l- — reduce, literally by days, the amount of time that it takes to move crops and goods from one side of the continent to the — to the other. It’s going to create incredible economic opportunities here on the continent, and it will help also continue to drive towards this clean energy transition that — that he knows President Lourenço is very interested in.

Q So, the average Angolan is, like, 19 years old. They don’t relate to, like, this cold war sort of, balance of power struggle on the continent that we’re seeing with China and the U.S. And, likewise, this colonial narrative of exporting raw materials from the continent doesn’t resonate with them. What are you offering to them — young Angolans?

MR. KIRBY: I’d say there is no cold war on the continent. We’re not asking countries to choose between us and Russia and China. We’re simply looking for reliable, sustainable, verifiable investment opportunities that the people of Angola and the people of the continent can rely on, because too many countries have relied on spotty investment opportunities and are now racked by debt.

And what the president is trying to put forward with the — with the other leaders of the G7 is a series of programs and opportunities that allow them to build out their infrastructure, improve their economic livelihoods — and the livelihoods of those young people, by the way; give them opportunities to rise and grow and develop without having to be racked by debt.

Q The trip is coming towards the end of President Biden’s administration. You touched on China and Russia. But do you think this trip is enough to, I guess, establish that
level of, you know, interest that the U.S. has in the African continent? Like, the trip is coming so late towards the end, so is this essentially, you know, showing African nations that the U.S., really, you know, is serious about committing to —

MR. KIRBY: I mean, since — since we launched the summit — the African Leaders Summit in ‘22, there have been
more than 20 Cabinet-level officials that have visited the continent. The president will be, obviously, the last of the administration to do that, but he has been preceded by a whole heck of a lot of travel — travel which, by the way — visits, which, by the way, delivered some 40-million-plus dollars of investment and — and assistance into Africa.

So, I — I just kind of push back on the premise that this is sort of a Johnny-come-lately trip at the — at the very end. This is something he’s been focused on since he became president of the United States, and he’s grateful for the opportunity to round out his time as president with a — with a trip to Angola.

Q Can you — are you able to touch on what some of the deliverables might be for President Biden this trip? Are you able to kind of highlight what we can expect in terms of, I don’t know, investment numbers? Is there anything you can share on that?

MR. KIRBY: I’m not going to get ahead of him and his announcement. You’ll hear more from him on this tomorrow. But I think you’ll hear from him — you’ll hear him talk about additional U.S. commitments to the Lobito Corridor, additional U.S. commitments to global health, additional U.S. commitments to clean energy transition and climate programs here, as well as people-to-people exchanges.

I mean, I — he’ll have a whole raft of things — range of things that he will be speaking to about in terms of current and future U.S. commitment to the continent.

Q John, with the limited amount of time that you have left in office at this point, can you give an assessment of the likelihood of a ceasefire deal in Gaza and Israel?

MR. KIRBY: We’re working on it every single day. And I wish I could give you odds. I can’t do that. But I can tell you, without a doubt, 100 percent of our energy and effort is being put to try to getting this. And it’s really — the — the main stumbling block continues to be Hamas.

And we believe that as they look at the world right now, they ought to see just how isolated and weakened they are. Iran is no longer there for them. Hezbollah is no longer there for them. You know, the — the Houthis aren’t doing anything materially to support what they’re trying to do. They’ve lost their leader, Mr. Sinwar. It’s time for Hamas to come to the table. And we’re going to keep — we’re going to keep doing that.

We’re working with ta- — Qatar, Egypt, Turkey. Even as we speak, there are active conversations that our team is having with them to see if we can get this on the table. There’s no reason why we — we can’t do it. We just have to — we just have to bring it home.

Q John, on Lebanon. Is it concerning to you that Israel has continued to strike Lebanon even after the ceasefire deal was agreed to? Does that raise any concerns about the deal coming to fruition?

MR. KIRBY: So, we are seeing some sporadic strikes in the last few days. This was expected. This is why — I mean, you’re talking about a war that’s been raging now for, actually, many years, if you think about it — certainly, since October 7th. We went from hundreds of rocket attacks to basically zero by Hezbollah and dozens of air strikes by Israel to one or two per day. So, there’s been a dramatic reduction in the violence.

We did put in place a mechanism to actually work out and deconflict and to try to stop these attacks. That mechanism is in — in full force and is working.

There’s a U.S. Army general who is basing himself out of the embassy in Beirut as part of this mechanism process, as we announced that we would do. And that’s — that’s ongoing.

Q What is that mechanism? Can you expand on what that is?

MR. KIRBY: Yeah, we have a — in Amos, we have a civilian and, in the military, we have a one-star general who are sort of operating as our connective tissue to the parties to try to monitor and keep the ceasefire implemented. And that deconfliction process, that system is in place.

So, again, largely speaking — sorry —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no. It’s okay.

MR. KIRBY: Largely speaking, though, the ceasefire is — is holding.

Q I’ll continue on — on the cease- — or, on Lebanon. So, as far — other than the fact that Hezbollah is severely weakened now, what makes this ceasefire different in terms of its chances of succeeding compared to all the other previous Lebanon ceasefires?

MR. KIRBY: Well, again, we believe we have a mechanism in place, a system in place to monitor it and to implement that. And, again, so far, it largely is doing that.

Q Has it stopped any Israeli strikes?

MR. KIRBY: There have been sporadic strikes. No question about it. As the president said when he announced it, Israel has the right — inherent right of self-defense, so I’ll let them speak to what they’re targeting.

But we’ve gone from, you know, dozens of strikes, you know, down to one a day, maybe two a day. That’s a tremen- — tremendous reduction, and we’re going to keep trying to see what we can do to — to get it down to zero so that both sides are fully implementing it.

But this is a — this is the — only a — what? — a week or so old. So, there’s a lot more work to do.

Q Is that — is that due to the mechanism working? As in, is the U.S., through this mechanism, restraining Israel?

MR. KIRBY: I think it’s part — it’s part — it’s part and parcel of the mechanism working, but also the leaders on both sides are committed to this. They are in a — both — both sides in a different place after months and months of going after one another, and we think they both are, you know, still committed to this.

Q Can I ask one about Lobito? On the Lobito Corridor project. Obviously, Trump has a very different foreign policy view from this administration, so how — how Trump-proof is this project, this investment? And, you know, could — could he come in and, you know, if this doesn’t work with his “America First” vision — he obviously thinks that there is a cold war ongoing on the continent, so if this doesn’t jive with that, could — could he — could we see this whole thing fall apart?

MR. KIRBY: I’ll let President Trump and his team speak for what they will or won’t do once they get into office.

We are still in office. We still have 50 days. This is a — a key, major development not just for the United States and our foreign policy goals in Africa but for Africans, for, you know, the countries across the continent, particularly those involved in the — in the corridor itself, those four countries. And it will bring real opportunity to them.

So, our sense is — and you’ll see this for yourself when you all go there the day after tomorrow — that the leaders of those four countries are absolutely dedicated to seeing this through, because they see the value to their young people, to their population, to their economies. And that’s what we’re really trying to do, is drive a lasting investment opportunity that truly has a generational effect on — on prosperity on the continent.

Q So, this can and will go forward — sorry — witho- — without U.S. investment if U.S. investment is pulled?

MR. KIRBY: I can’t speak for those leaders and what they will do or won’t do, and I certainly don’t want to hy- — hypothesize about what President Trump might or might not do.

It’s our fervent hope that as the new team comes in and takes a look at this that they see the value too, that they see how it will help drive a more secure, more prosperous, more economically stable continent.

Q Speaking of there being only one president at a time, we saw that Canada’s premier met with Donald Trump. Did he speak to President Biden? Has Mexico’s president engaged with President Biden over this debate over tariffs? And do you feel that’s appropriate?

MR. KIRBY: I’m — I’m not aware of any follow-on conversations that President Biden had with Prime Minister Trudeau since his meeting with — with President-elect Tr- — Trump on this. And is it appropriate for foreign leaders to speak to an incoming president-elect? Yeah, of course it is.

Okay.

Q Thanks, John.

MR. KIRBY: All right. Over to you.

Q Thank you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Okay. Go ahead, Will. I know you had two.

Q Okay. Thank you. Sorry about that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. No, no. It’s okay. I just wanted to —

Q So, two questions.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — to give the Admiral and NSC their time.

Q Fair enough. Fair enough.

Topic of the day: You — you have said repeatedly yourself since the election, the president has said for months no pardon was coming. I just — you know, I wanted to ask you: Could those statements now be seen as lies from the American people? Is there really a credibility issue here, given now this announcement?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: First of all, one of the things that the president always believes is to be truthful to the American people. That is something that he always truly believes.

And if you see the end of his — I’m — I assume that you’ve read his — his statement — and you look at the end of that statement, and he actually says that in the first line in the last paragraph and — and respects the thinking and how the American people will actually see this in his decision-making.

And I would encourage everyone to read in full the president’s statement. I think he lays out his thought process. He lays out how he came to this decision. He came to this decision this weekend. So, let’s be very clear about that.

He says it himself. It’s in his voice. He said he came to this decision this weekend, and he said he wrestled with this and — because he believes in the justice system, but he also believes that the (inaudible) politics infected the process and led to a — a miscarriage of justice. This is his words. I’m just repeating what the president said.

He also said that no reasonable person, if you are looking at this in a good-faith way, if you are looking at the facts of Hunter’s cases and can reach — you can’t reach any other conclusion, right? And what we have seen — and not just us; there’s other people who have commented on the president’s actions in the last 24 hours — I’ve lost track of time — and could see that Hunter was si- — singled out and — because he — his last name was Biden, because he was the president’s son. That’s what we saw.

And so, the president believed enough is enough, and the president took action. And he also believes that they tried to break his son in order to break him. That’s what we saw.

And this — again, I am just repeating what the president said. I think the statement in full really lays out his thought process. He said that he came to this decision this weekend, and — and he wrestled with it. It was not — it wasn’t an easy decision to make.

Q But, Karine —

(Cross-talk.)

Q So, when — when he says —

Q One — one other —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Laughs.) Okay.

Q Sorry. Just a re- — just real quick on that. The — the two of them were together this weekend. Did the president and Hunter discuss this possibility? Did they talk about this happening?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, what I can say is he made this decision hi- — this weekend. He made it himself. I don’t have anything else to discuss beyond that.

Q Karine —

Q Do you know if he talked about it with Hunter?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I just don’t have anything to discuss. I — I’ve been pretty consistent in — in not talking about private conversations that the — he’s had with his family. I just don’t have anything to say besides the president made this decision this weekend, as he said in his statement, and he made this deci- — this decision himself. Once he made s- — this desic- — this decision, he shared it with his senior
staff.

Go ahead.

Q What changed, though? What ch- — the — the reasons y- — he laid out in his statement, if we assume those to be correct, that’s been correct. The — those are not changes that occurred this weekend. So, what changed his mind this weekend?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, again, it’s in — it’s in his statement. He wrestled with it. He thought about it. And he tr- — he believed and what he saw was that his son was singled out. And so, he made the decision. And once he made the decision, which was this weekend, he decided to move forward with it and not to — not to wait.

And, you know, I think he truly believed enough is enough. This is — this is — we have seen, in last five years or so, the president’s political opponents say this. Not even — I mean, this is not the president saying it; they said it themselves. They were going after Hunter Biden.

Q So —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And so, he made this decision.

Q So, Karine, when the — when the president says that — that the justice system is “infected” with politics, how deep is the rot? And how much of the blame does the president take on himself for the fact that his — his own Justice Department, his appointees, have allowed to — have — have allowed it to get this bad?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Let me just — le- — and I’m going to get to your answers, but I do want to just share a couple of things from — for example, former Attorney General Eric Holder said, “No U.S. attorney would have charged this case given the underlying facts. After a five-year investigation, the facts as discovered only made that clear. Had his name been Joe Smith, the resolution would have been fundamentally and more fairly a decl- — a declination. Pardon warranted.”

Former U.S. attorney to the Eastern District of Michigan, Barbara McQuade, said, “Pardon of Hunter Biden is the best interest of justice. Based on the facts, most federal prosecutors would have declined to charge him. The botched mis- — misdemeanor guilty plea and sentence of the diversion were a tell that the special counsel had the same assessment.”

One more. Former deputy chief of — of the Criminal Division Southern District of New York said, “As SDNY Criminal Division deputy chief, I was responsible for approving charges and non-prosecution requests. I wouldn’t have approved Hunter Biden’s tax or gun cases. If Hunter’s last name wasn’t Biden, I don’t believe he would have ch- — he would have been charged. His pardon is justified.”

And the president says it — I’m going to pull out his statement — to your — to your question. And this — this plays into what I just read with the SDNY deputy chief, which is, look, there was a deal on the table — “a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the courtroom, with a number” — this is the president’s voice — “with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.” This is the president saying this.

Q Yeah, he’s saying his own Justice Department is broken, Karine.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: He believe- — he believes — he’s — he believes in the Justice Department. He believes that there was —

Q After saying all of that?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: He believes —

Q He believes in the Justice Department?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: This is his words. He said this. This is the president saying this.

Q He just said it’s “infected” with politics.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — he believes — “I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively and unfair[ly] prosecuted.”

Q So, how deep is the rot?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I’m not —

Q How many selective —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I — I —

Q — prosecutions are there at the DOJ?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I — what I can speak to — what I can speak to is this particular case, which is Hunter Biden, who has the last name of the president, who, I just said, there were political opponents who were very clear and very vocal about going after his son. And I just laid out — and there’s more — multiple people who are part of that — who are part of that system — right? — who have either worked in the justice system or currently do so, and they have been very clear on how they feel about this particular case — the cases against Hunter Biden.

Q So, can other — can other —

Q But, Karine —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don’t —

Q — the judge was also clear in this case. The judge said it wasn’t political pressure when it came to the plea deal. They said this was a process issue, that you basically had two agreements in one and that you can’t have side deal.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yep.

Q There were basic questioning —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q — in this case that both lawyers could not really answer the questions of.

So, the president, in his statement, is he not undermining the judge and a judicial system that he promised would be independent? The judge in this case did not say —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hold on.

Q — it was political pressure.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And I — and I just talked about the SDNI [SDNY] Criminal Division deputy chief who said he was responsible for th- — for approving the charges and not prosecuting requests. I just also quoted him and what he said, right?

And there are others who have said — former White House counsel said, “If — if I were his White House counsel, I would encourage him to pardon his son. The clemency power has few limitations and certainly would extend to a Hunter Biden — Hunter Biden pardon.”

Former Watergate Assistant Special Prosecutor Jill Weinberg: “This was one of those cases that called out for clemency. Hunter Biden, first of all, would not ever be prosecuted for the gun crime but for his last name. Hunter has now been sober for many years, and this — and this is a time when it is really appropriate to grant a clemency.”

Look —

Q Karine —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — the president — wait. Wait. Two things could be true. The president does believe in the justice s- — system and — and the Department of Justice, and he also believes that his son was singled out politically. And this is what we saw over and over and over again over the last couple of years.

And when his deal — that deal that — that fell apart, which the president said in his statement he thought would have been fair — the president said this — that the Desh- — the Department of Justice agreed with — he said if that had gone through, he believed it would have been fair. When that fell apart, his own political opponents just continued to revel in it.

And one of the reasons the president did the pardon is because they didn’t seem like — his political po- — opponents would let go of it. It didn’t seem like they would move on.

Q Is —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And so, this is why this president took this action.

Q But is it the same argument —

Q Is the president seeking —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay, guys. Okay.

Q Karine —

Q Is the president seeking the resignation of the attorney general?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No.

(Inaudible.)

Q Is — do you think this would have happened if Harris hadn’t lost the election?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I’m not going to — I’m not going to get into — into the election. It is a no. I can answer that. It is a no.

And what I can say —

Q It’s a no, this would not have happened if Harris hadn’t lost the election?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, would — what would have not happened?

Q The pardon would not have happened —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, I’m not —

Q — if Harris hadn’t lost the election?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, it’s hap- — what I can speak to — where we are today. And so, I can’t speak to hypotheticals here.

Where we are today: The president made this decision over the weekend. He thought about it. He wrestled with it. And for him, he made this decision because he believed his son was being politically singled out.

Q But we’re wondering what changed his mind. And obviously, the election — in the statement he refers to “enough is enough.” He thinks that there could be further — it sounds like he thinks there could be further prosecution of Hunter under a Trump administration.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: He didn’t — he didn’t believe that they would let up. Right? He didn’t think that they would — they would continue to go after his son. That’s what he believed.

And, look, I’m not going to get into hypotheticals, to the original part of your question. The president wrestled with this decision. He made this decision this weekend. And he decided to move forward with pardoning his son.

Q But these systematic —

Q So, does the president believe now — does the president believe now and agree with President-elect Trump that the justice system has been weaponized for political purposes and that it needs r- — root — root and branch reform?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No. Read the president’s statement. Seriously, read the pr- — the president’s statement. He said he believes in the Department of Justice. He does. He says it in his statement.

He believes — he also believes that raw politics infected the process and it led to a miscarriage of justice. He believes his son was unfairly targeted. He said that what his political opponents have done to my son — that’s his words — is cruel, and enough is enough.

He says he believes in the justice sy- — system. And I said both things —

Q But those are the same arguments —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, but — no, no, no, but —

Q — the Trump camp was making.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, both things — well, I — I’m not going to — I can only speak for — for this president. I’m not going to speak for anybody else. Bo- — both things could be true. Right? And that’s what he says.

He says that the Department of Justice — he believes in the Department of Justice. He also believes that, you know, politics infected the process here. It infected the process. And you saw that when the deal fell apart.

And let’s not forget, the Depart- — the Department of Justice agreed on that deal. The president said if that deal had moved forward, he thought it would be a fair — a fair process. And when that deal fell apart, his political opponents took credit for it. They took credit for it and didn’t seem like they were going to stop.

Q President-elect Trump has likened this to the case of the so-called January Sixers, the people who are in prison because of their role in January 6th. What do you think of that argument? And do you think that that’s a — a fair parallel that he believes he should —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, we —

Q — pardon —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Today, I’m going to talk about the pardon. We’ve been very clear about January 6th. The president has been clear about that. He has spoken to that many times before.

What we believe in this particular case is what is unprecedented is the way that his son was singled — singled out.

And this is not the first time a president has granted a pardon before sentended — sentencing. It’s not the first time a president has pardoned a family member. And it’s not the first time a president has pardoned conduct that occurred during a certain time of — time period.

We’ve been very clear where we stand on January 6th. I don’t have anything else to add, but —

Q But, Karine, what —

Q Do you —

Q Karine, what kind of precedent is this setting going forward for American families who, you know, don’t have the president as their dad? You know, is the president taking advantage of his position by doing this? Because not everyone, like I just said, has President Biden as their dad, who can, you know, do this — do this.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, let me — let me go back to the last thing that the president said. He said, “For my entire career, I followed a simple principle: just to tell the American people the truth. They’ll be f- — fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe the justice system — I believe in the justice system, but I — as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice. And once I made this decision this weekend, there was a no sen- — they were no — there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a president would come to this decision.”

And as I’ve stated, and I read a couple of — a couple of — a couple of quotes from folks who said, incor- — including Eric Holder, who said, “If his last name was Joe Smith, this would not have happened.” “This would not have happened.”

Q So —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: They targeted him — hold on. I’m answering this question. They targeted him because his last name was Biden.

And, again, I think the way the president ended his statement, I think, clearly states where his head — where he was at, how he feels about this process, how he feels about being truthful to the American people. And so, that’s why he put out the statement. And we encourage everybody to — to really take a look about this.

And the last line is, “I think the American people will understand a father and a president” — “why father and a president would come to this decision.”

Q Karine, the United States has more people in prison than any country on Earth. Some are facing a death penalty that the president himself said he would get rid of, has not gotten rid of.

Can we expect that other people who are in prison whose clemency petitions are sitting at the White House are going to have their cases see the same care and attention that the president gave his own son?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, as you know, when it comes to the criminal justice system and really making sure we get to a place where it’s equal and fair, this is a president has taken this very seriously, and you know that by executive actions that he took very early on in his administration.

And he understands what certain communities go through. He has been very clear about that. He has talked about that.

As it relates to pardon- — pardoning or any clemency, the president, as you know, at the end of the year, makes announcements. He’s thinking through that process very thoroughly.

There’s a process in place, obviously. And so, once — I’m not going to get ahead of — of the president on this. But you could expect more announcement, more par- — pardons and clemency at the end of — at the end of — at the end of this term.

Okay.

Q But, Karine —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q — why was it the case that both you and the president said well after the plea deal fell apart that there wouldn’t be a pardon and now there is a pardon?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Again, I’d refer you to his statement. He thought about this this weekend. This is a decision that he made this weekend. He agonized over it.

Q Were there any new details that —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, what I can tell you is what the president said himself. He made this decision this weekend. And I think — again, encourage you to read the statement and — really, just the first paragraph and what he’s watched his son go through — an unfair process, being singled out.

And let’s not forget, even in the last two th- — parts of his first paragraph here says “people are almost never brought to trial on fenoly — felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently.”

And so, he wrestled with it this weekend, and he made a decision this weekend on how to move forward with this. And so, I’ll leave it there.

Q So, was he not wrestling with it before this weekend?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I can le- — tell you is that the president himself said he wrestled with it, and he made this decision this weekend.

(Cross-talk.)

Q If he was st- — if he was still — if he was still wrestling with this decision — I guess, two things. Is there anything in that statement that is a new detail in the case that would be a factor in him changing his mind here?

And then, two, if he was still wrestling with this — which, I mean, clearly he was — he wa- — like, we talked to the president’s allies; he was still wrestling with this decision — then why would he declare it off the table? Why would he say, “I’m not going to do this,” if, clearly, there was an intention to do this, unless you can point me to a new detail in the case for which he changed his mind?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: He made this decision this weekend. That’s what I can tell you. He wrestled with it, and he made this decision this weekend.

It is a decision that he came to terms with and made it and shared it with all of you, obviously, by — by offering the — his son a pardon.

Q I guess what we’re struggling with is that — his statement basically is a contradiction. It says, “I believe in this system. Enough is enough.” I — I don’t see how you can have it both ways.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, I don’t think it’s a contradiction. I don’t. Two things could be true. You can believe in the Department of Justice system, and you could also believe that the process was infected politically. And that’s what the president says.

Remember, there was a deal on the table that the Department of Justice agreed on, and it fell apart. And his political opponents praised that deal falling apart.

And so, in that regard, yes, he believes in the Department of Justice and he believes in the system. But there was a — there was a political singl- — singling out of his son. And other people have said this. I just read through a bunch of folks who are — who are — who’ve been part of the justice system — if not currently, in the past — who have said — you know, I keep going back to what Eric Holder said, because he said if his last name was Joe Smith, he wouldn’t be going through this. His last name is Biden.

Q So, how do you fix that?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And so, he went through this.

Q How do you fix that? How do you fix that problem?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, this is one case, because this is the son of the president. Right?

Q How do we make sure this never happens again?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I — I’m not going to go into — into the future and — and how — and un- — and go- —

Q The president doesn’t have any systemic solutions?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Inaudible.) (Laughs.) Let me finish — let me finish my — my answer.

I just don’t have anything more beyond that. What I can speak to is this particular action that he’s took. What I can speak to is this — the decision that he made. And that’s where I’m going — that’s — that’s where I’m going to stay.

And — and I think — you know, I think that it will be very clear to the American people why he made this decision as a father, as a president. And we all saw — we all saw what was going on for the past couple of years when it came to Hunter Biden, when it came to the cases.

And so, the president took an action because of the pol- — how politically infected these cases were and what the political opponents — what his political opponents were trying to do. And if you look at the cases, there wouldn’t have — it wouldn’t have gone as far as it did. It wouldn’t have.

Go ahead.

Q You’re telling us that — you — you’ve been telling us that he has complete faith in the justice system, except for in the cases where his son was concerned, and in those cases, politics corrupted the system. But you can’t tell us any other instance in which the president believes that politics corrupted the justice system. Is this literally the only time that this has happened, or — or the — the limit of this problem, to get to Trevor’s question?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Again, “If his name had been Joe Smith, the resolution would have been, fundamentally and more fairly, a dec- — a dec- — a declination. Pardon warranted.” That’s Eric Holder. It is because, from — from what I’ve just read to you, and from what other people, other experts, people who are smarter than I have said, because he wa- — he is Hunter Biden — his last name is Biden, that there were —

Q So, this (inaudible) —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: — actions — there were actions that were taken that were far and — and beyond. And so, they said pardon warranted, right? And I read a bunch of y- — I think I read almost all of them that I had for you to share about how people felt about this.

Again, “As a prosecutor, I doubt that these charges would ever have been brought against a guy named Hunter Smith. It was because he is the son of the president.” That’s state attorney for Palm Beach County, Florida, Dave Aronberg. That’s what he said.

Q So, the system works for people — the system doesn’t get corrupted by politics for people whose name is not Biden?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You’re twisting and misrepresenting what I’m saying. I’m talking about a particular issue right now. I’m talking about the president’s action on his son, pardoning his son, Hunter Biden. And that’s what I’m going to stick to, and that’s what I’m talking about right now.

Q The statement is almost asking American families to understand why President Biden did what he did with the pardon. But for families who have a child who — or don’t have the same resources as President Biden, is that fair to ask them to understand, if they’re not sitting in this position?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: (Inaudible.) I mean, let’s take a step back. For the past five minutes, I’ve been talking about why there was a polit- — political infection on this particular case. It’s because it was Hunter Biden. That’s why we’re — we are where we are and why the president provided a pardon. And he believes that his son was singled out, and because — Hunter Biden was singled out because his dad is the president.

That’s what we’re talking about here, and that’s what we have been seeing for the past several years. And that’s what the president was speaking to, and that’s why the president took the action that he did.

Q How soon could the next round of, you know, pardons of — could come? For those who are waiting and have been waiting for some time and aren’t Hunter Biden, how soon could we expect to see those?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don’t have a timeline for you. As you know, this usually happens towards the end. And so, the president is going through that process, thinking through that process. I’m not going to get ahead of him. But you can expect more announcements to come.

All right. I think we’re supposed —

Q What was the —

Q Is the president con- —

Q What was the White House counsel and clemency officer’s advice on how to handle this particular case?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I don’t have anything beyond the president making this decision. As this — when the president —

Q What advice did he get from the White House?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I’m — I’m not going to get into private conversation that the president has. The president made the decision to pardon his son. The White House informed they have to be — pardons, as you know, have to be filed with the DOJ. The White House informed the DOJ. They filed it with the DOJ, and that’s how the process went.

I’m not getting into a private conversation. This is a decision that the president made himself. Again, he wrestled with it. He made the decision this weekend, and we’ve laid out pretty clearly of what he was thinking. His statement lays out pretty clearly.

He believes in the Department of Justice, but he also believes that his son was singled out politically. And so, he made — he made this decision.

Guys, all right. Thanks, everybody.

Q Do you have time for another topic?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What’s the other topic? (Laughs.)

Q So, there is — there is a — there’s a DNC race going on right now —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q — to be the new chair of the — the party. What direction does Biden want to see the party go after he steps off the stage?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I’m not going to weigh in on — on the — on the DNC chair election. Not something that I’m going to do from here.

What I will say is the president certainly — what he has seen the 52 years of his career — what you have seen from him is a — is someone who has always put the American people first when it comes to issues that matter to them — right? — when it comes to the economy, when it comes to health care, when it comes to where we stand on the global stage, as we’re doing on our way — as we’re — as you’re all going to see in the next 24, 40 hou- — 48 hours in Angola and as you have seen many times before when he’s traveled.

And the president is very proud of what he’s been able to do on behalf of the American people, whether it’s beating Big Pharma, whether it’s getting ou- — us out of a pandemic and making sure that schools were open, businesses were back open, and that we were able to — to get out of this in a way that was comprehensive, in a way that didn’t leave any communities behind.

And so, the president is going to continue to focus on that: What else can we do to lower costs? What else can we do to make Americans’ lives better? He wants us to run through the tape. So, every day — we have 50 days left. Every day is going to be an important day, just like the next, certainly, 48 hours are going to be.

You saw what the president did on the South Lawn with the first lady, talking about World AIDS Day, making — making announcements there. This is what the president cares about: How do we make lives better? And he hopes that — he hopes, you know, that’s continue — we continue to do that as a party.

As it relates to, certainly, the chairs, I — I can’t weigh in on that or step in — into that — into — into that. But I think what you have seen from the last four years, what you have seen — the president’s leadership in the last 52 years, I think, is a clear indicator at how he sees his role as a — as a leader of this party and how he sees the future of this country.

And he always talks about possibilities, and certainly that’s something that he continues to believe, is that — how important that is.

Q What is your experience of the transition? Have you met with the next team that’s coming in? What tangible changes do you think we’ll see at the White House?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, that’s up to them. You know? What we —

Q Have they come in already and had meetings with you?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What — what I can say is that we want an efficient, effective transition of power. We want it certainly to be peaceful, ri- — right? — as the president, I think, showed himself when he — when he invited President-elect Trump to — to the White House. You saw them sit together in — in the Oval Office, and that is something that President Biden wanted to —

Q But have there been more lower-level meetings?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — what I can say is we’ve been in touch with the Trump transition team. Those conversations continue. We are going to make this as smooth as possible. That’s what we want. And certainly, that’s what we will continue to do.

And teams — to your question, the teams have been talking. And I don’t have anything beyond that.

Q Is the president planning on having a press conference during this trip?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I — I don’t have a press conference to announce for this trip, but I’m pretty sure and — you know, the president likes to engage with you all, and I’m — I’m sure he’ll — he’ll continue to do that.

Thanks, everybody.

Q Thanks, Karine.

3:30 P.M. CVT

The post Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and White House National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby En Route Luanda, Angola appeared first on The White House.

State Dining Room, The White House

It’s great to be here today with a fellow community college professor and Delawarean. Lieutenant Garden, thank you for sharing your story, and for adding a new link to the chain of your family’s military legacy. I am so grateful to you, John, and Jaiden for your family’s service.

General Nordhaus, you are guided by a deep sense of purpose. Thank you for your decades of service to our country—and for this new chapter, as you will make the Guard stronger and more resilient.

I’m also grateful to Major General Wendy Wenke, SEA John Raines, and his spouse Karen for their record of service and leadership.

The Bidens are a Guard family—our son Beau was a Major in the Delaware National Guard. So we understand what makes Guard life different.

You don’t live on bases. One day, you’ll be in uniform—and the next, you’ll be running a small business, practicing law, or teaching at a community college.

You live and work and worship among civilians. And through your service, you become the beating heart of your communities.

But I also know that this life isn’t easy. It asks you to balance the demands of a career with the responsibilities of stepping up for our country, to spend time away from your families—sometimes at a moment’s notice—and to put your lives on the line to answer the call of duty.

The day after Joe’s inauguration in 2021, I brought baskets of chocolate chip cookies to National Guard troops who had kept all of us safe on that important day. It was a small act, but full of a Guard mom’s love and gratitude.

National Guard families are always in my heart.

As First Lady, I’ve made National Guard families—and all military families—a priority.

Over the past four years, through our initiative to support military families, called Joining Forces, we’ve been helping make sure that National Guard kids have the support they need in schools, that spouses have all of the career opportunities they deserve, and that we care for both the physical and mental health of our service members.

I began my time as First Lady by thanking National Guard members, and I remain grateful. For your service, and for sharing your stories and hopes with me. I have been so proud to work together, arm in arm, to make this life a little easier for fellow Guard families.

Now, this is a special time of year as we transform this house for the holidays. And one of the privileges I have as First Lady is deciding who will be the first to experience the magic of the season here at the White House.

Every year, I’ve asked to share it with National Guard families.

So today, I hope you’ve found delight in everything from the gingerbread house to the carousel that circles the tree in the Blue Room—and that even in the flow of the holiday season, you would find peace in your purpose and strength in your community.

May God bless you and your families.

Happy holidays!

###

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2:51 P.M. EST
 
DR. DRIFFIN:  Hello.  I’m Dr. Daniel Driffin. 
 
As a person living with HIV, working daily among the HIV Vira- — the HIV Vaccine Trials Network, days like World AIDS Day are significant to me.
 
For more than 36 years, nations near and far have raised awareness of those impacted by and living with HIV.
 
Today, with the theme of “Collective Action: Sustain and Accelerate HIV Progress,” I know we can continue to reduce the negative impact that HIV continues to have on our lives.
 
Action and progress link our globe as we continue to make advancements towards ending HIV.  Action and progress have taken our world from no test for HIV to having rapid, home-based testing.
 
We went from medications that only stop HIV on one step of the life cycle to medications that stop HIV throughout the process of multiplying.
 
We went from the days where people had to take many pills more than one time a day to now being able to either take a pill once a day or even an injection every two months, and additional therapies and longer options are on the horizon.
 
We know pre-exposure prophylaxis works.  We know post-exposure prophylaxis works.  We boldly know undetectable equals untransmittable, especially for the people living with HIV — I mean thriving with HIV.
 
As a person living with HIV, a new discussion is finally afforded around the importance and shared decision-making with your medical providers.
 
So, today, as we share time, take a moment and take in the more than 110,000 lives which are shared on these panels behind us.  Thank you for the artists.  Thank you for beauticians.  Thank you for lawyers.  Thank you for scientists.  Thank you for community health workers, doctors, caregivers, lovers, and maybe even future congressional members, and all of the other friends that we have lost due to HIV and AIDS.
 
I am happy to bring up our first lady of the United States, Dr. Jill Biden.  (Applause.)
 
THE FIRST LADY:  (Laughs.)  Thank you.  Thank you. 
 
Daniel, thank you.  Your leadership is redefining what it means to support people with HIV — not only access to health care but with community as well.  Because of your work, more people know that they are not alone.
 
So, good afternoon and welcome to the White House.  (Applause.)
 
Hidden in crowds, scattered throughout workplaces and grocery stores and parks, there is a fellowship of people who have lost sons and daughters.
 
To the uninitiated, we look normal, average, whole.  But like a secret handshake, I can spot them by the sadness that rests in the corner of their smile, by the curve of their shoulders, as if they can still feel the small arms of a child wrapped around their necks.
 
And though we are strangers, we know untellable truths about one another: that we will spend the rest of our lives longing for a face that’s gone forever and — and that when they left our world, they took a light inside us with them.
 
Still, we have discovered moments of grace too.  Somehow, against all odds, we rise from the floor, we find a fortitude that we didn’t know we had, and we reach out for help.  We realize that we’re not alone.
 
And as I look at this beautiful quilt, with its bright colors, the names in big block letters, renderings of lives and loves, I see it as a mom.  And I think of the mothers who stitched their pain into a patchworked panel so the world would remember their child not as the victim of a vicious disease but as a son who had played in the high school jazz band, as the child who grew up to proudly serve our nation in uniform, as the daughter whose favorite holiday was Christmas.
 
The act of quilting creates a work of art that wraps us up in its beauty. 
 
This one was woven together with a grief powerful enough to move the world toward unity, acceptance, compassion, and grace.
 
And Joe and I are proud to have the AIDS Memorial Quilt on the South Lawn of the White House for the first time ever.  (Applause.)
 
And it is especially meaningful to gather with you on World AIDS Day.
 
May we all feel the power of this worldwide day of unity.  And may we always cover each other in kindness, compassion, and beauty.
 
Joe and I are honored to have Jeanne White-Ginder here with us and to join with her in remembering her son, Ryan White.  (Applause.)
 
Jeanne, I know you didn’t choose the life of an activist.  But when Ryan got sick 40 years ago, you stepped up in the fight against discrimination and helped the world see this disease more clearly.
 
I know that a part of you is still missing.  Mother to mother, thank you for your strength.
 
So, Jeanne, would you like to say a few words?  (Applause.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Want me to hold your cane?
 
MS. WHITE-GINDER:  Yeah, let me see. 
 
Where’s my —
 
THE FIRST LADY:  Here, I think it’s this way.  Here it is.
 
MS. WHITE-GINDER:  Okay.  (Laughter.)  Sorry.
 
Good afternoon, everybody.  My name is Jeanne White-Ginder, and I am the mother of Ryan White. 
 
Ryan was a smart and funny teenager who became HIV-infected at the age of 13.  He contracted HIV at the age of 13 and — from a blood transfusion.  AIDS took him from us five and a half years later but not before he fought his way to — back to school and taught America we needed to fight AIDS and not the people who have it.  (Applause.)
 
In 1990, however, shortly after Ryan died, Senator Kennedy asked me if I would come to Washington to explain to senators how vital it was to pass the AIDS bill which had been recently named after my son, called the — for my son, called the Ryan White CARE Act.  He said I was something much more powerful than a lobbyist: I was a mother.  I am sure that Dr. Biden can relate.  Needless — needless to say, I went.  I went to D.C.
 
The first senator I met, who was getting off the elevator at the Capitol, was Senator Joe Biden.  With tears in his eyes, he told me that he had lost his child and that the only way he had found to deal with it was through grief and with — through a purpose.
 
In the 34 years since, that’s exactly what I’ve tried to do, in partnership with the extraordinary community here today that has become my family. 
 
In many ways, personal grief has fueled the AIDS movement since the beginning.  Both Republicans and Democrats and congresses have strongly supported Ryan’s bill.  And as a result, countless lives have been saved.
 
I’m especially grateful for President Biden’s tireless leadership and all that he’s done for the fight against AIDS in the United States and around the world as senator, vice president, and president.  (Applause.)
 
That’s why, along with my daughter, Andrea, and on behalf of my dear friend and partner in this work, Sir Elton John, and his foundation — and so honored to introduce today our commander in chief in the fight against AIDS, President Joe Biden.  (Applause.)
 
Thank you so much.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  You’re —
 
MS. WHITE-GINDER:  (Inaudible.)
 
THE PRESIDENT:  You’re my commander —
 
MS. WHITE-GINDER:  Thank you.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  You’re my commander in chief.
 
MS. WHITE-GINDER:  (Laughs.)  It took us all.  Thank you.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Careful now.
 
I told her she’s my commander in chief.  (Laughter.)
 
Folks, you’ve changed the world.  Sorry, I have a cold.  You’ve changed the world.
 
Jeanne, thank you for the introduction and for your courage.  You just described the first time we met after your son passed away, and what I saw in you then was something extraordinary.  You said it best: a mom on a mission, turning your plan into purpose. 

After all these years, looking at everything you’ve achieved, the lives you’ve touched, the country you’ve changed, the world you’ve made better, you’re extraordinary, and it’s an honor to have you with us today again at the White House.  Love you.  (Applause.)

To the families here today, as Jill just said, we know how hard it is in different ways, but we know.  We know. 

I hope you can find comfort in remembering the one thing that’s never lost: your love for them and their love for you. 

Jill and I, along with countless others, are forever grateful to you for your collective and individual courage.  And Jill and I are especially grateful for the trust you put in us. 

It’s been the honor of our lives to serve in the White House — the people’s house, your house.  We felt a special obligation to use this sacred place to ensure everyone is seen and the story of America is heard.  That’s why we’re all together here on this World AIDS Day.  And I want to thank all of you, allies and advocates who are here, including Sir Elton John’s foundation and so many others for the long history of this fight, both globally and here at home.

Jill and I met with Elton and David this summer, and this event is, in no small part, the result of that meeting. 

And a special thanks to one of the great public health officials — a true hero — who have led this fight against HIV/AIDS, Dr. Anthony Fauci.  (Applause.)  Where is Anthony? 

Anthony, you’re a good man.  (Applause.)  God love you.  As my mother would say, “God love you, Anthony.”  (Laughter.)

I also want to alo- — acknowledge Dr. Laura Cheever, HIV leader — (applause) — Department of Health and Human Services —

THE FIRST LADY:  Oh, right here.

THE PRESIDENT:  — who’s re- —

THE FIRST LADY:  In the front.  The blonde.

THE PRESIDENT:  — who’s retiring this year.  She started when she was — after 25 years of service.  She started when she was 10, if you take a look at her.  (Laughter.)  God love you. 

The idea of the quilt was conceived in 1985 by Cleve Jones and Mike Smith, who is here with us today. 

Mike, there you are.  Stand up, Mike.  (Applause.)

To honor the memory of all those we lost to HIV/AIDS.  It started with one name on one panel nearly four decades ago.  And decades later, 50,000 panels and 110,000 names. 

This quilt weighs 54 tons, the largest community art project in the entire world, and tells the tragic stories of brothers who died too soon; moms who contracted AIDS at childbirth — her daughter’s life stolen, eventually her own as well; friends and partners who lost loved ones of their lives; and so many more stories of precious lives cut too short.

And I do realize that these days of celebration, they bring back all the memories.  They’re hard.  It’s not easy.  It’s important, but it’s not easy.  So, I want to thank you for being here. 

This quilt was first displayed on the National Mall in 1987.  Over the years, it made its way to the Ellipse and President Clinton’s inaugural parade. 

Today, for the first time in our nation’s history, the sections of AIDS quilts are being publicly displayed here at the White House because — (applause) — because, like the first threads of this quilt stretched nearly 40 years ago — stitched nearly 40 years ago, this movement is fully woven into the fabric and history of America, shining a light on the memory and the legacy of all the sisters and brothers, sons and daughters, husbands and wives, moms and dads, partners and friends who have lost — who we’ve lost to this terrible disease. 

Together, we honor the spirit of resilience and the extraordinary strength of people, families, and communities affected by HIV/AIDS, including the nearly 40 million people living with HIV around the world today — 40 million.  And we send a clear message to the nation and to the world that we stand united in the fight against this epidemic. 

It matters.  It matters we reinstate that.

I remember as senator when this epidemic was raging, the stigma, the misinformation, the government failing to act and acknowledge the dignity of LBGTQ+ lives and the seriousness of the AIDS epidemic.  It caused serious harm.  It compounded pain and trauma for a community watching a generation of loved ones and friends perish.  It was horribly, horribly wrong. 

We’ve also seen advocates, survivors, families, allies who have turned their pain into purpose like all of you have, their loss into determination, their anger into a movement that’s literally changing the world.  Science — new scientific discoveries, new preventative care, new global partnerships, and so much more. 

For example, through what’s known as PEPFAR — the President’s Emergency Plan on AIDS Relief — launched by President Bush — and he deserves credit — (applause) — George W. Bush — we made the single largest investment of any nation in the world to tackle a single disease, saving more than 26 million lives so far. 

I’m proud to have reauthorized PEPFAR last year, and I can — I’m going to call on Congress to pass five-year PEPFAR reauthorization to sustain these gains we made globally.  (Applause.) 

In fact, later today, I’m traveling in Angola in Africa, where we’re deepening our partnership across the continent on mainly health priorities, including improving outcomes for people with — people living with HIV through PEPFAR. 

It matters.  It matters throughout the world. 

But for all our progress, too many people continue to live with HIV, including 1 million Americans.  That’s why my first year in office, I launched a new national HIV/AIDS strategy to ensure treatment and prevention is available to everyone everywhere, all across this country, and that includes ensuring medications that can prevent HIV infections are affordable and available in all forms, without co-pays for people with health insurance.  (Applause.)

We made clear to the insurance companies they can’t deny coverage for these medications or for lab tests that doctors recommend to patients. 

We’re fighting the stigma of discrimination against the HIV community by ending the shameful — the shameful practice of banning gay and bisexual men from donating blood; strengthening civil rights protections in medical settings for people with HIV; educating the public about the latest science in transmission, testing, and prevention and care. 

So many of you have been leading the way in these efforts, including the late Cornelius Baker — (applause) — who passed away three weeks ago, as a pioneer on advancing HIV testing. 

Together with all of you, we’re also calling on states and community leaders to repeal outdated HIV criminalization laws throughout this country.  (Applause.)

And I’m proud to announce, before the end of my term, the Center for Medical and Medi- — Medicare and Medicaid Services will update its guidance on HIV care, encouraging states to adopt the best practices using the latest science and technology.  It matters.  It matters.  (Applause.)

Folks, you’ve been standing a long time, so let me close with this.  (Laughs.)  You’re pretty good.  (Laughter.)  I know the fight to end this terrible epidemic is hard.  But I look around today — and I mean this from the bottom of my heart — I look around today at all of you — survivors, families, heroes who have never given up — and I know it’s a fight that we’re going to win for all the lives lost and for all those that are still alive.

Look at what you’ve already done to change the hearts and minds and save lives across the country and around the world. 

That’s the power of this movement.  That’s the power of memory of your loved one.  That’s the power of America. 

We just have to keep going, keep the faith, and remember who in the hell we are.  We’re the United States of America, and there’s nothing beyond our capacity when we do it together — nothing, nothing, nothing.  (Applause.)

God bless you all.  And I know I’d like to invite everyone to view the quilt, so, folks, I’m getting off this stage.  (Laughter.) 
 
But really and truly, I mean it from the bottom of my heart: You’re changing the world.  You’re changing the world. 

Thank you.  Thank you.  Thank you.  (Applause.)

3:11 P.M. EST

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Our hearts are heavy today. Jill and I are devastated and outraged to learn of the death of Omer Neutra, an American citizen, whose body Hamas has apparently been holding since they killed him during their brutal terrorist attack October 7.

Omer was just 21 years old when he was taken by Hamas. He was serving as a tank commander in an Israel Defense Forces unit that was among the first to respond to Hamas’s campaign of cruelty— risking his life to save the lives of others. A Long Island native, Omer planned to return to the United States for college. He dreamed of dedicating himself to building peace.

Less than a month ago, Omer’s mother and father joined me at the White House to share the pain they’ve endured as they prayed for the safe return of their son – pain no parent should ever know. They told me how Omer’s grandparents were Holocaust survivors and how their family’s strength and resilience has been carried through the generations.

During this dark hour—as our nation joins Omer’s parents, brother, and family in grieving this tragic loss—we pray to find strength and resilience. And to all the families of those still held hostage: We see you. We are with you. And I will not stop working to bring your loved ones back home where they belong.

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President Joseph R. Biden, Jr. met today with President Ulisses Correia e Silva of the Republic of Cabo Verde in Sal, Cabo Verde. The two leaders discussed the growing U.S.-Cabo Verdean relationship, bolstered by the vibrant Cabo Verdean diaspora in the United States; support for democratic freedoms and human rights; and strengthening our collaboration to increase climate resilience. President Biden expressed his appreciation for Cabo Verde’s unwavering support for Ukraine as it continues to defend against Russian aggression and for the continued strength and value of U.S.-Cabo Verdean cooperation on security and law enforcement issues. President Biden also reiterated his support for expanding the United Nations Security Council to create two permanent seats for African countries, increasing representation of global voices to tackle global issues.
 

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Today, First Lady Jill Biden is announcing the 2024 White House Holiday theme: A “Season of Peace and Light”

In a welcome letter to visitors at the beginning of the commemorative 2024 White House Holiday Guidebook, the President and First Lady write:

“The holidays have always held a special place in our hearts, and we’ve loved opening the doors of the People’s House wider and wider each year, continuing the spirit of goodwill and gratitude. America’s story is your story, and we hope you feel at home here. 
 
“As we celebrate our final holiday season here in the White House, we are guided by the values we hold sacred: faith, family, service to our country, kindness towards our neighbors, and the power of community and connection.

“It has been the honor of our lives to serve as your President and First Lady. Our hope is for the Nation to be blessed with the peace and light of the holiday season. We wish you a Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays.”

At the end of the holiday guidebook, the President and First Lady write to visitors: “At the holidays, Americans come together every year in fellowship and faith, reminding us that we are stronger as a community than we are apart. The strength of our country, and the soul of our Nation, come from you. May the promise of this “Season of Peace and Light” guide your path forward.”

During an event at the White House later today, the First Lady will officially unveil the holiday and seasonal decor, offer her holiday message to the Nation, and thank the volunteers from across the country who helped decorate the White House for the season. As part of her Joining Forces initiative to support military families, the First Lady invited National Guard families to be the first members of the public to experience the White House holiday decor. As a fellow National Guard mother, Dr. Biden wanted to show appreciation for, and honor, the special role the National Guard plays in serving our country. The National Guard is a unique element of the U.S. military that serves both community and country, in domestic and foreign missions. 

The White House expects to welcome approximately 100,000 visitors during the holiday season. Videos, photos, and information about the décor will be available on WhiteHouse.gov/Holidays. Additionally, over the course of the holidays, a variety of interactive viewing experiences will launch on digital platforms, allowing individuals to engage with the White House during the holidays from home.

2024 Holidays at the White House, by the numbers:

• It takes over 300 dedicated volunteers from across the country working a full week to decorate the inside and outside of the White House.
• There are 83 Christmas trees throughout the White House.
• Approximately 9,810 feet of ribbon, over 28,125 ornaments, and over 2,200 doves were used this year to decorate the White House.
• Over 165,075 holiday lights decorate the trees, garlands, wreaths, and displays
• The Gingerbread White House includes 25 sheets of gingerbread dough, 10 sheets of sugar cookie dough, 65 pounds of pastillage, 45 pounds of chocolate, 50 pounds of royal icing, and 10 pounds of gum paste.

A “Season of Peace and Light,” the 2024 White House Holiday Theme:

Each room and design element throughout the White House holiday display encourages guests to embrace the peace and light of the holiday season.

The East Wing

Guests enter the East Wing of the White House under stunning, rotating starlight. Lush greenery and garlands adorn the East Wing Lobby, enveloping guests in the peaceful tranquility of nature as they begin their holiday tour of the White House.

The Gold Star Tree

The first Christmas tree display featured on the White House tour is dedicated to Gold Star Families. This year’s Gold Star Tree exhibit is constructed of six oversized and stacked stars, representing all six branches of the military. Names of fallen service members are written on gold star ornaments on the four accompanying Christmas trees.

The Gold Star Trees honor the heroic men and women of our Nation’s military who have laid down their lives for our country, those who are Missing in Action, and the families who carry on their legacies. May God bless our troops and their families.

The East Colonnade

As guests proceed down the East Colonnade, they are surrounded by a collection of bells, symbolizing the peaceful sounds of the holiday season. Brass-colored bells suspend from the ceiling and sleigh bells line the archways. In the East Garden Room, just before entering the historic mansion, visitors are greeted by a three-dimensional horse-drawn sleigh, pulling a Christmas tree decorated with bells and lights.

The Library

A forest of vintage ceramic Christmas trees are featured throughout the library, twinkling in all of the colors of the holiday season. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt designated this room to serve as the White House Library in 1935. This space now holds approximately 2,700 volumes of books focusing primarily on American history and literature. A classroom teacher for forty years, First Lady Jill Biden added children’s books to the White House Library collection, in collaboration with the Library of Congress.

The Vermeil Room

The décor of the Vermeil Room (vermeil is the French term for silver dipped in gold) is devoted to floral displays, using a variety of materials.  On the walls of this room are portraits of first ladies, including Mamie Eisenhower, Claudia “Lady Bird” Johnson, and Jacqueline Kennedy. Over sixty years ago, Mrs. Kennedy founded the White House Historical Association to protect, preserve, and provide public access to the rich history of the People’s House.

The China Room

Food is love. A baker’s bench and artisanal breads set the scene in this room, reminding guests of the peaceful, patient, and loving process of baking bread.

The China Room, which was first introduced as a display room by First Lady Edith Wilson in 1917, houses tableware used by past presidential families. Most presidents, beginning with George Washington, are represented by either a personal or State Service of porcelain, glass, or silver. Each piece recalls the State Dinners and celebratory meals that have brought together world leaders, diplomats, and other White House guests.

Diplomatic Reception Room

This fall, First Lady Jill Biden expanded and enhanced the public tour of the White House. The Diplomatic Reception Room, used to welcome foreign dignitaries, and home to President Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s famous fireside chats, is now open to the general public for the first time. Holiday florals and fruit are on display in this room, as a nod to the importance of hospitality and grace to peaceful diplomacy.

The East Room

A reflective canopy wraps the ceiling and windows, surrounding guests in a peaceful snowfall. Two large Christmas trees flank the center door, with the tree bases illuminated with silhouettes of Americans holding hands, giving movement and energy to the décor.

As the largest room in the White House, the East Room has hosted public receptions, ceremonies, bill signings, and other memorable occasions. It also includes Gilbert Stuart’s portrait of George Washington, which First Lady Dolley Madison instructed workers to save in 1814 when the White House was about to be set aflame during the War of 1812.

The East Room includes a Neapolitan crèche, or Nativity scene, with over forty figurines, most

dating back to the eighteenth century. The crèche has been displayed during every White House holiday season since 1967.

The Green Room

In the Green Room, light shines through colored glass ornaments and prisms, reflecting beautiful hues throughout the room. Once Thomas Jefferson’s dining room, the Green Room houses Henry Ossawa Tanner’s painting, Sand Dunes at Sunset, Atlantic City. Tanner mixed actual sand into his paint to illustrate the windswept beaches of our coasts.

The Official White House Menorah

Displayed just outside the Green Room, in the Cross Hall, is the official White House Menorah, created in 2021 by the White House Executive Residence Carpenters’ Shop. The Menorah was constructed using wood that was removed more than seventy years ago during the Truman-era renovation of the White House.

The Blue Room

The Blue Room showcases the official White House Christmas Tree. This year’s tree is an 18½ foot Fraser Fir from North Carolina and stands floor to ceiling, filling the oval room. Every year, the Blue Room chandelier is removed to accommodate the Christmas tree’s full height.

The stunning tree features a light-filled, whimsical carousel, with names of every state, territory, and the District of Columbia, showcased around the tree’s décor. With bright lights, vivid colors, and three-dimensional holiday candy treats, guests will gaze in wonder as they are taken on a delightful adventure around the tree.

This year’s official White House Christmas Tree was presented to the First Lady by David, Sam, and Jim Cartner of Cartner’s Christmas Tree Farm in Newland, North Carolina, the 2024 Grand Champion Grower in the National Christmas Tree Association’s annual contest.

State Dining Room

As part of the First Lady’s Joining Forces initiative to support military families, Dr. Biden invited families of the USS Delaware and the USS Gabrielle Giffords, two U.S. Navy vessels for which she serves as a sponsor, to provide the colorful paper chain garlands hanging throughout the room. The ornaments on the Christmas trees were crafted as self-portraits by students from across the country, ensuring that children see themselves reflected in this year’s holiday display.

The Gingerbread White House

A favorite for all during the holidays is the annual Gingerbread White House. This year’s sweet creation draws inspiration from the overall holiday décor theme of a “Season of Peace and Light.” A glowing starburst shines over the Gingerbread White House, and the sugary replica includes a cheerful scene of ice skaters on the South Lawn.

The Red Room

In the Red Room, white paper doves carry messages of peace. Drawings from children around the country to the President and First Lady are displayed throughout the room. Large, illuminated gift boxes are placed under the Red Room’s Christmas tree.

The Cross Hall and Grand Foyer

The Cross Hall unites the State Rooms of the White House, with the East Room and State Dining Room at the opposite ends, and the Green, Blue, and Red Rooms opening from the south side. The slightly arched ceiling springs from the cast plaster molding designed during the Theodore Roosevelt Renovation of 1902.

Suspended overhead in the Cross Hall is a cascade of peace doves flying above. Christmas trees trimmed with red and green plaid décor, as well as a vintage red truck, complete the holiday scenery.

2024 White House Holiday Guide Illustrator

Children’s book author and illustrator, Zoe Ranucci, created artwork throughout the 2024 White House Holiday Guide, which perfectly captures a “Season of Peace and Light” at the White House.

2024 White House Holiday Recognitions and Support
The President and First Lady thank the Executive Residence staff and the team of over 300 volunteers who dedicated their time, energy, and talents to transform the White House for the holiday season.

Bryan Rafanelli, of Rafanelli Events, worked closely with Dr. Biden to lead the creative efforts of a talented team to bring her vision to life for the White House holiday décor, celebrating a “Season of Peace and Light.”

The President and First Lady are grateful for the support from the National Confectioners Association and the creative design teams of Birch Event Design, BMF Media Group, Cheree Berry Paper & Design, East Olivia, Frost Chicago, Glitterville Studios, HMR Designs, Kehoe Designs, MC², Mot Designs, Patch NYC, Rafanelli Events, Red Bliss Design, Silver Lining Design Group, and 4 Wall Entertainment.

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Today, I signed a pardon for my son Hunter. From the day I took office, I said I would not interfere with the Justice Department’s decision-making, and I kept my word even as I have watched my son being selectively, and unfairly, prosecuted. Without aggravating factors like use in a crime, multiple purchases, or buying a weapon as a straw purchaser, people are almost never brought to trial on felony charges solely for how they filled out a gun form. Those who were late paying their taxes because of serious addictions, but paid them back subsequently with interest and penalties, are typically given non-criminal resolutions. It is clear that Hunter was treated differently. 
 
The charges in his cases came about only after several of my political opponents in Congress instigated them to attack me and oppose my election. Then, a carefully negotiated plea deal, agreed to by the Department of Justice, unraveled in the court room – with a number of my political opponents in Congress taking credit for bringing political pressure on the process. Had the plea deal held, it would have been a fair, reasonable resolution of Hunter’s cases.   
 
No reasonable person who looks at the facts of Hunter’s cases can reach any other conclusion than Hunter was singled out only because he is my son – and that is wrong. There has been an effort to break Hunter – who has been five and a half years sober, even in the face of unrelenting attacks and selective prosecution. In trying to break Hunter, they’ve tried to break me – and there’s no reason to believe it will stop here. Enough is enough. 
 
For my entire career I have followed a simple principle: just tell the American people the truth. They’ll be fair-minded. Here’s the truth: I believe in the justice system, but as I have wrestled with this, I also believe raw politics has infected this process and it led to a miscarriage of justice – and once I made this decision this weekend, there was no sense in delaying it further. I hope Americans will understand why a father and a President would come to this decision. 
 

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Executive Grant of Clemency
Joseph R. Biden, Jr.
President of the United States of America
 
To All to Whom These Presents Shall Come, Greeting:
 
Be It Known, That This Day, I, Joseph R. Biden, Jr., President of the United States, Pursuant to My Powers Under Article II, Section 2, Clause 1, of the Constitution, Have Granted Unto
 
ROBERT HUNTER BIDEN
 
A Full and Unconditional Pardon
 
For those offenses against the United States which he has committed or may have committed or taken part in during the period from January 1, 2014 through December 1, 2024, including but not limited to all offenses charged or prosecuted (including any that have resulted in convictions) by Special Counsel David C. Weiss in Docket No. 1:23-cr-00061-MN in the United States District Court for the District of Delaware and Docket No. 2:23-CR-00599-MCS-1 in the United States District Court for the Central District of California.
 
IN TESTIMONY WHEREOF I have hereunto signed my name and caused the Pardon to be recorded with the Department of Justice.
 
Done at the City of Washington this 1st day of December in the year of our Lord Two Thousand and Twenty-four and of the Independence of the United States the Two Hundred and Forty-ninth.

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Our Nation has made enormous strides toward preventing, diagnosing, and treating HIV — a terrible disease that has stolen the precious lives of over 40 million people since the epidemic began in 1981.  Despite our progress, over 39 million people worldwide continue to live with it, including over 1 million people in the United States.  On World AIDS Day, we honor the memory of all those we tragically lost to HIV around the world.  We stand in solidarity with all those who are courageously facing the disease today.  And we renew our commitment to accelerating efforts to finally end the HIV/AIDS epidemic. 

My Administration has made historic progress toward addressing this fight.  In my first year in office, I reestablished the White House Office of National AIDS Policy and launched a new National HIV/AIDS Strategy, to put us on the path to end this epidemic by 2030.  To that end, the Health Resources and Services Administration committed nearly $10 billion in funding through the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program to ensure that low-income individuals in America with HIV can receive the medication and quality care they need.  The Department of Health and Human Services is also working to guarantee that Americans have access to HIV interventions like pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) and self-tests to prevent HIV.  And the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services has ensured that PrEP medications — including long-term injectable options — and critical support services like counseling and screenings for HIV and hepatitis B are free for people with Medicare.  Furthermore, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention invested $10 million in a pilot program that covers the cost of PrEP to five health departments across the Nation — an important step toward ensuring everyone has access to this vital medication.  Additionally, my Administration’s investments in the Ending the HIV Epidemic in the United States initiative, which reaches over 50 jurisdictions, has helped decrease HIV incidence by 21 percent in the past year in those areas.

At the same time, my Administration is working to fight the stigma surrounding HIV and to ensure that people with HIV do not face bias or discrimination — which too often stops people from getting life-saving care.  I am proud that last year my Administration ended the shameful practice of banning gay and bisexual men from donating blood.  We also released updates to the Rehabilitation Act that strengthen civil rights protections in medical settings for people with HIV.  And I join advocates around the country in sharing the message of U=U, which stands for undetectable equals untransmittable, and makes clear that a person living with HIV who is on treatment and maintains an undetectable viral load has zero risk of transmitting HIV.  We are committed to ensuring people understand the latest science about HIV transmission, testing, prevention, and care.  And we are calling on States and community leaders to repeal or reform outdated HIV criminalization laws, so people are not wrongfully punished for exposing others to HIV without the intent to cause harm.  

Globally, my Administration is working with international partners to lead the global fight to end HIV/AIDS as a public health threat by 2030, including through the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) and our investments in the Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis, and Malaria.  PEPFAR has saved more than 25 million lives in 55 countries by working to prevent HIV infections and expand access to HIV treatment and care services.  In 2023, my Administration worked with the Congress to reauthorize PEPFAR for the fourth time ensuring that America continues to help build a future where HIV infections are prevented and every person has access to the treatment they need.  This year, we also celebrate the 10th anniversary of the DREAMS (Determined, Resilient, Empowered, AIDS-Free, Mentored, and Safe) partnership, which has worked to lower HIV infections in adolescent girls and young women around the world.

This year, on World AIDS Day, the AIDS Quilt which was first displayed on the National Mall in 1987, will be publicly displayed at the White House for the first time in our Nation’s history.  The Quilt is a memorial for all those we have lost to AIDS and AIDS-related illnesses.

We also express our gratitude to the activists, scientists, doctors, and caregivers who have worked tirelessly to advance our Nation’s progress in the fight against this epidemic.  And we recommit as a Nation to shining a light on the struggle, strength, and resilience of people affected by HIV.  Together, let this World AIDS Day be a moment of unity that rallies the country to give all those affected the care, hope, and support they deserve. 

NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, by virtue of the authority vested in me by the Constitution and the laws of the United States, do hereby proclaim December 1, 2024, as World AIDS Day.  I urge the Governors of the United States and its Commonwealths and Territories, the appropriate officials of all units of government, and the American people to join the HIV community in activities to remember those who have lost their lives to AIDS and to provide support, dignity, and compassion to people with HIV.

     IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this twenty-ninth day of November, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.

                              JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.

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Via Teleconference

10:39 A.M. EST

MODERATOR:  All right, hello, everyone.  This is Jessica Kosmider with the NSC press team.  Thank you so much for joining us today, the day after Thanksgiving, for a background call to preview the President’s trip to Angola.

For your awareness, not for your reporting, on the line today you will have [senior administration official] and [senior administration official].  You can refer to them as senior administration officials in your reporting.

Before I turn it over to them, as a reminder, this call is embargoed until 5:00 a.m. Eastern on Sunday, December 1st.  By joining, you agree to these ground rules today.

With that, I’ll turn it over to [senior administration officials] for some opening remarks, and then we’ll take as many questions as we can in the time that we have. 

All right, over to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Terrific.  Thanks so much, Jess.  And can everyone hear me?

MODERATOR:  Yep, loud and clear. 

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Terrific.  Okay.

Hi, everyone.  Thanks for joining on the day after Thanksgiving.  And really pleased to be with you today. 

So, as we all know, this upcoming week, from December 2 to 4, President Biden is traveling to Angola, where he will highlight the transformation and deepening of the U.S.-Angola relationship and will also reaffirm our commitment to strengthening our partnerships across Africa. 

This is a historic trip.  We are excited about it.  It marks the first visit of a U.S. president to Africa in nearly a decade, since 2015.  And also importantly, this is the first-ever visit by a sitting U.S. president to Angola. 

You may remember that when President Biden first assumed office, he pledged to restore and deepen our relationships around the world, and Angola is a prime example of that vision. 

So that’s why, to start the visit in Angola, President Biden will meet bilaterally with his counterpart, President João Lourenço, in Luanda.  That meeting builds upon strong bilateral engagement we’ve had throughout the Biden-Harris administration with Angola.  President Lourenço attended the U.S.-Africa Leaders Summit in 2022, and then the two presidents met here in D.C. almost exactly a year ago, when President Biden hosted President Lourenço in the Oval Office. 

Together, the U.S. and Angola are working closely to expand impactful, high-standard economic opportunities and improve regional peace and security.  We’re grateful for Angola’s partnership, and we’re really looking forward to the meetings where we will further our shared vision for greater prosperity for both Angolans and Americans. 

I’ll note that this trip also has a regional focus that’s far beyond Angola’s borders.  I’ll let [senior administration official] speak more to this, but just to note that earlier in this administration, you may recall that we released a U.S.-Africa strategy.  That strategy talks about how it’s impossible to meet this era’s defining challenges without African contributions and African leadership.  For that reason, the U.S. has championed African leadership across multilateral fora, including for advocating for new seats to be added to the G20, to the U.N. Security Council, and international financial institution boards. 

On the visit, President Biden will also deliver remarks in Luanda that really lay out both our shared history and highlight the growth and enduring strength of our relationships in Angola and across the continent.  He’ll discuss how, together with our African partners, the U.S. is working to narrow the infrastructure gap in Africa, expand economic opportunities on the continent, expand technological and scientific cooperation, and bolster peace and security. 

This visit will also highlight the work and resources that the U.S. has invested in this vision.  You might recall that at the 2022 Africa Leaders Summit, the U.S. pledged to invest $55 billion in Africa over the subsequent three years.  Two years on from that, I’m proud to say that we’ve already met 80 percent of that commitment, and we really view these as investments, not donations. 

Together with African partners, the administration has expanded trade and investment opportunities; advanced transcontinental infrastructure; and supported African-led efforts on conservation, climate adaptation, and energy that pay dividends for all of us. 

We’re not stopping there.  While in Angola, the President will focus on one of its signature investment projects, the Lobito Trans Africa Corridor.  I will let my colleague speak much more to that. 

Finally, I’ll just note that the President will be announcing some important new deliverables along the way.  I do not want to get ahead of our President on sharing too much at this stage, but I will say that these will be new deliverables related to global health security, to agribusiness, to security cooperation, and to preserving Angola’s cultural heritage. 

A couple more notes on those.  One is on the Prosper Africa Initiative.  The President will be highlighting how since January 2021, U.S. departments and agencies in the Prosper Africa Initiative have closed 12 deals in Angola with a combined value of $6.9 billion.  He’ll share how the U.S. government is making important investments to increase access to nutritious food, strengthen agribusiness, and increase food storage capacity in the country. 

He’ll discuss how the U.S. and Angola will announce a new global health security partnership to strengthen capacity to prevent, detect, and respond to infectious disease.  And the U.S. will also support Angola’s nomination of the Kwanza Corridor to the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites. 

So, much more to come on this, and you can expect the announcements and the overall trip to reflect the deepening of our relationship and to reflect President Biden’s vision for more equitable partnerships in addressing global challenges together.

So, I look forward to your questions, and I’ll turn it over to [senior administration official] to provide more from his standpoint.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Thank you.  And thanks, everybody, on a Thanksgiving Friday.  Look, I don’t have much to add, and I’m happy to answer questions, but as [senior administration official] said, one of the examples of the change in our strategy in Africa was to move it a lot more towards investment, rather — and partnership, rather than traditional development assistance, grants, and charity. 

And that’s why this visit, and that’s why choosing Angola, if you think about what’s happened over the last couple of years, is looking at the corridor approach globally, but specifically where we anchored it in Africa, and building the — refurbishing and rebuilding a rail connection from the Port of Lobito all the way through the Democratic Republic of Congo with a phase two approach into Zambia and eventually all the way — we’re preparing the ground for eventually reaching all the way to Tanzania, connecting the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. 

This is not — this serves a number of purposes. 

One, it’s about critical minerals that are required for the energy transition globally for electric vehicles.  It is important for AI data centers and high-end chips.  But it is also about connecting all the — what this kind of infrastructure does is it may be able to bring critical minerals and shipments out in 45 hours instead of 45 days.  But it also allows for the growth of true food security in Africa.  And we are already seeing that food can be now delivered from the Port of Lobito all the way to eastern Congo in a matter of days instead of weeks and months.  It is enabling farmers to grow more local produce that can be used and traded so that landlocked countries are no longer landlocked and connected to each other. 

Over the last couple of years in Angola, through U.S. government investment, there has been added more telecommunications.  More people are getting connected to 3G and now building out 5G networks, as well as building out renewable energy.  In fact, the U.S. has approved financing through Ex-Im Bank of nearly two and a half billion dollars of renewable energy projects that will be able to take countries from energy deficit to energy exporters to their neighbors. 

And that’s really — the entire point of the Biden administration’s strategy that [senior administration official] just articulated is focusing on the investment side.  This has not only transformed the economies by building out GDP, but it does so by focusing on attracting investment, by high standards — companies committed to high standards of labor, of gender equality, of health, and of environmental stewardship. 

And that is really — that is the choice that is now available to countries throughout the region.  Not looking at, “Do I have to accept Chinese investment with low standards and child labor and corruption,” but “Do I have another offering to compare it to.”  And again, this is what President Biden has wanted to transform our relationship in the region, is to offer a different — more investment, but with higher standards.

And so, this Angola trip is really going to be highlighting that option that exists now in Africa, a direct line from the Africa Leaders Summit that President Biden had earlier in the administration to where we are today, and what I believe will be a policy that is continued by future administrations in years to come, focusing on this investment and partnership between the United States and Africa across the continent.

We chose to focus on a handful of countries over the last couple of years in order to be able to spend the scarce resources that we have in the U.S. government in a deeper and more meaningful way, rather than spreading it thin across a wider swath. 

That has also brought remarkable increase in American company investors into — and Western investors — into Africa.  And we’ve done this both bilaterally but also through the PGI, the President’s signature initiative with the G7 of the Partnership for Global Infrastructure and Investment, driving this kind of investment across the continent under those same guidelines and rules of increased investment with increased opportunity at higher standards. 

So I’ll leave it there, Jess.  And if there any questions, I’m happy to answer.

MODERATOR:  Thank you so much.  First up, we will go to Aurelia from AFP.  Aurelia, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hi.  Thanks for taking my question and thanks for doing this call.  Just maybe following up on what you said about offering an alternative to Chinese investment: Just in September, Xi offered Africa a sweeping $50 billion in fresh funding, promised like a million jobs, et cetera.  Isn’t it a risk that by this visit that comes late in the presidency, it gives the impression that, you know, it’s too little or too late?  Or do you really think that focusing on just a handful of countries and very precise investment, like, really offers a credible alternative to the billions that the Chinese have offered?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Aurelia, it is no doubt that China is offering billions and have been offering billions.  And let me be clear off the top: I don’t think it’s a — we don’t think it’s a bad thing to have Chinese investment in Africa.  But if it means that at the end of a few years of investment, the communities that live in the area of the investment have not seen any increase in GDP, that they’ve not seen benefits of their lives in it, that it has not lifted the lives of the communities; if it means that the government is going to be living under crushing debt for generations to come, then that’s not — the government is going to have to make the decision whether that’s the alternative they want. 

What we have heard repeatedly over years is that people want to have more — people in Africa want to have more alternatives for investment, not less.  But if they don’t have the alternative, they are forced to go with the one investment they have. 

So I think if the United States coming in here with investments that are meaningful — and this is not too little too late — I think that after years of being off the field, President Biden has put us back on the field and competing and offering this alternative. 

If, as a result, other countries, whether China or anyone else, also comes to Africa and increases the standards of labor, standards of healthcare provided to the workers, standards of defending the environment — protecting the environment where the projects are, and transparency versus corruption, if that forces everyone now to increase the standards, that will be a huge achievement. 

So I think that we’re not coming — this visit is at the end of the administration, but for the last two years, some of the numbers of U.S. investment in Africa are staggering in comparison to previous years, and specifically here in Angola where I think we’ve spent over $3 billion just in the last couple of years in areas as diverse as telecommunications, renewable energy, critical minerals, rail, bridges — so, from infrastructure to technology.  That’s something that we’d like to see grow, and I think that the President sees it as laying the foundation for a new approach to Africa that will be followed by administrations to come.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you.  Next up, we’ll go to Fatima Hussein from the Associated Press.  Fatima, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Thank you for taking my question.  My question is: Can the President still have an effect on the continent when he’s coming right now when all the eyes of African leaders are on President-elect Trump?  And is there a fear that President Trump, whose policies are so different from President Biden, could undo a lot of the things that you’re talking about today?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’m happy to take that.

Thanks, Fatima, for the question.  I’d say, obviously we can’t speculate about the choices the next administration will make, but from my standpoint, I am grateful that U.S.-Africa policy has actually benefitted from really strong bipartisan support over the course of multiple administrations.  And I think that’s a pretty remarkable tradition.

If you think back to some of the really impactful initiatives that U.S. administrations have put forward, impactful initiatives like the DFC, the Development Finance Corporation, that was a Trump administration institution that the Biden administration has taken forward.  Think back to the Millennium Challenge Corporation that was launched in the Bush administration.  PEPFAR.  And more recently, Prosper Africa was also launched in the Trump administration.

So while I, of course, I can’t speak for the next administration, I think there’s a lot of reason to assume that some of these initiatives will continue on. 

And as [senior administration official] has laid out, when we think about an endeavor like the Lobito Corridor, that is a win-win for Americans and for Africans.  And so, I would imagine that would be seen in that light of something that’s paying dividends for all of us. 

So, while of course we can’t speculate on the next administration, I think there’s a lot of reason to assume the bipartisan tradition will continue when it comes to Africa policy in a lot of ways.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you.  Next up, we will go to Zolan from the New York Times.  Zolan, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hey.  Thank you so much.  I know the focus is going to be on Angola, but you said there’s sort of a continent-wide approach you’re taking too.  Do you expect — will the President in any way be speaking about the violence in the eastern DRC?  Will he be engaging with Rwanda at all during this trip?  And will there be any focus, as well, on the conflict in Sudan, as well, during this trip?

And then, also, kind of just a clarification, but can we officially say that this is the last trip overseas for President Biden at this point of his presidency?  Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Great.  I can start, and then I invite [senior administration officials] to weigh in.

So, on the eastern DRC, something President Biden has talked about is his gratitude for Angola’s leadership on this front.  Angola is playing a very important regional mediation role on the conflict in the eastern DRC.  And so, while I won’t get into specifics of their conversation, I do think thanking Angola for its really important leadership on this front will be part of the visit.  There may be other regionally focused aspects of the visit that I don’t think we can share more on at this point, but just to say that I think President Biden really does view Angola in the context of its region.

[Senior administration official], I invite you to add anything.  And then, Jess, on the last international trip, or not, I defer to you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Look, Zolan, I think that this will be — we’re stopping in — the President is going to Angola, but this is a regional approach.  Angola has been a tremendous friend, both to the United States over the last few years, which is a dramatic sort of shift in geopolitical alliances as a result of the policy we described before, but also has played a key role — leadership role in the eastern DRC, as has the United States.  So we’ll address those as the days go by, as we continue.

But there’s — again, I think the fact that this trip is coming at the end of the administration, I want to underscore what [senior administration official] said.  This is a policy that we have every expectation that future administrations will continue to follow, especially some of the investment-oriented approach.  And I can tell you that Republican members of Congress have been traveling more frequently to DRC, to Zambia, to Angola, and to the region over the last few months, including senior Republican senators, out of support for this approach.  I think that that will continue.

MODERATOR:  And then, as far as your question goes on future travel, we don’t have any other travel to announce today, but of course, we’ll keep you guys posted if anything changes.

Next up we have Aaron Gilchrist from NBC.  You should be able to unmute yourself, Aaron.

Q    Hey, guys.  Thanks for doing this call.  Just two things quickly, if I can.  There’s been criticism of the political protests that have been happening, the arrests of political protesters in Angola.  Do you expect the President will address in any way arrests of protesters or human rights issues in Angola while he’s there? 

And then the second question: Domestically, there’s been sort of head-scratching about why this trip to the African continent by this president, who was supported so vociferously by African Americans here, why this trip is coming so late in his administration.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’ll take the first part, Aaron.  Thanks for the question. 

Yeah, I think, as you know, President Biden has never shied away from talking about challenges to democracy, his commitment to democracy, and I think you can expect him to always raise those issues with counterparts, without getting into specifics. 

We, of course, are tracking protests in Luanda, and would note that we were heartened that the protests over the last week remained peaceful and had — we think that’s tremendously important. 

I’ll also say that we and the President and his delegation traveling will meet with civil society while in Angola.  So I think having that discussion is always a key part of it.

In terms of when this falls on the administration, I would say the President made a promise he would visit Africa, and he’s visiting Africa.  He’s excited about it.  He raises how excited about it he is every time I speak with him.  So I’m thrilled he’s going. 

[Senior administration official], would you add anything on that?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  No, I would say — look, this has been a — this is a trip that he’s wanted to take for a long time.  He’s held the Africa Leaders Summit early in the administration, and has done — this administration has done a tremendous amount of work in Africa during a period of a lot of foreign policy activity.  And so, again, as you know, he was supposed to go a little bit earlier; it got postponed for a variety of reasons. 

But the important thing is that he is going.  And the even more important thing is what he has led and what he has done on the African continent in the policy, which is a total transformation of our policy in a manner that was not expected. 

I can tell you that traveling throughout Africa over the last several years of this administration, all I get from leaders in Africa is being grateful for a final change of policy that is focused so much on investment and partnership than focusing on what the timeline of the visit was.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  I’d also just add, Aaron, to your question: Obviously, there’s a lot of focus on the President’s travel, and we’re really excited about it.  But over the course of this administration, just the past two years since the Africa Leaders Summit, the administration has had over 20 cabinet-level and senior officials travel to the continent.  And as you know, each of these visits brings with them deliverables.  They bring with them new partnerships that are launched.  So I think this administration is about the totality of those visits and those initiatives, and we’re proud of our record on that front.

MODERATOR:  All right, we have time for just a couple more.  So, next up, we’ll go to Skylar Woodhouse from Bloomberg.  Skylar, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hey, thanks for doing this.  Hope everyone had a nice Thanksgiving.  I just wanted to ask: Given that the trip is, you know, very — it’s practically towards the end of President Biden’s presidency, is it the understanding that African nations are taking the U.S. seriously, especially as China is heavily influenced across the continent right now?  Is that the understanding that you all feel that, you know, the U.S. is being taken seriously?  Or because this trip is towards the end, that, you know, it’s just kind of a check mark that Biden has to do at this point?  Thanks.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Skylar, look, I get more questions about this from American reporters than I get from African leaders or African-based businesses.  So — honestly.

The President of the United States has led a new policy in Africa.  Yes, China is influential in Africa, as they are in other places, and continuing to do so. 

It also is true that leader after leader on the continent have asked us to make sure that we have alternatives for those investments.  And on this trip as well, it is true that it’s coming at the end of the administration, but it’s capping on — one perspective, it’s capping three years, four years of a tremendous amount of investment by the United States in areas that represent the growth for Africa, whether it’s in the role that they can play in the transition to renewable energy and electric vehicles, as well as to chips.  They are at the center of what could be the future.  And this trip is also coming as the era of global competition continues, and Africa can play that big role. 

The one thing leaders in Africa do not want is for folks to say they’re under — they have the Chinese investment; they have Chinese influence, and therefore, nobody else in the world should go to Africa.  That is the opposite of what everybody in Africa wants. 

So, all I hear from the leaders I speak to — and I speak to leaders across Africa regularly, both political leaders, heads of state, as well as business leaders — is excited for the fact that President Biden is coming, that he’s bringing a delegation that has brought to the table (inaudible) from the Africa Finance Corporation, the Africa Development Bank, record investments from the DFC, the Development Finance Corporation in the United States, Ex-Im Bank, TDA, MCC, USAID.  The kind of investments that we’re doing here are transformative.  And what they want is to bring in the rest of the world.  I don’t know a single leader in Africa who says, “I just got a promise for some money from China, and therefore I don’t want anybody else there.”  On the contrary. 

So it is — the timing is what it is, but it is at a turning point that, again, I don’t think this ends here.  I brief Congress regularly, and there are Republican senators who were just in Angola recently because of this, and intend to take this forward. 

So I see certain parts of our domestic policy is more binary and political.  American investment in developing and middle-income countries is not a partisan issue.  The way we’re doing it is different.  But then again, we built on the Trump administration, the Obama administration built on Bush administration, which built on the Clinton administration.  That has been a seamless, increasing our participation. 

The one thing we haven’t done is figured out how to invest more conservatively in Africa.  This administration has done that.  I have every expectation that both Congress and this administration and the one after that will continue this policy.  And I think that leaders in Africa understand that, and that’s why they are eager for this visit to take place.

MODERATOR:  All right.  Thank you.  I think we have time for maybe one or two more, so we’ll go with Rishi from Foreign Policy.  Rishi, you should be able to unmute yourself. 

Q    Yeah, thanks for doing this, and thanks for taking my question.  So, you spoke about — you mentioned that this is investment and not aid in Africa, and we’ve seen that President-elect Trump, his big thing is kind of making deals, examining the, quote, unquote, “deals” that the U.S. has made.  So how protected are these investments that you’ve made from what the Trump administration might do, from being unwound by a potential Trump administration? 

And just as an addendum to that, how would changes to policies on the domestic front, like the CHIPS Act and the IRA, impact Africa?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Look, let me start.  I see very little reason why any of it would be under threat.  These are — one of the things that we focus on when I say investment versus aid — and I want to say it’s not “versus,” it’s “in addition to.”  We still have a robust assistance program that is necessary.  So it’s an additive in here.

But these projects are all done — the point of them was to be financeable and bankable projects that turn a profit, and therefore, I don’t see any reason why any of these would be undone.  And from my conversations, both with officials that are expected to be entering the Trump administration, as well as with bipartisan leaders in Congress, is that these projects are seen as the exact right thing to do.  So I don’t see them being unwound.  In fact, I would see some of them growing.

Building the rail in Africa in order to connect its countries to each other and to global markets; to be able to bring critical minerals out; making sure that the United States, for the first time in years, is getting cobalt and copper and lithium coming from this region to the United States and not going 100 percent to China — these are things that the next administration is likely to keep.  So I don’t really see the issue. 

I think what happens in the IRA and the CHIPS Act, we’ll have to see.  I’ve learned over the years of working in Washington that what is said in campaigns is not always what is done in practice.  So let’s see what happens. 

But those programs were investments in America and to make America competitive, and so I find it hard to believe that any — perhaps some of the regulations will change, but I don’t see the core of it changing.  Building more chips in America is a good thing.  Driving a trillion-dollar investment into the United States on both infrastructure, specifically under CHIPS Act and the infrastructure bill, both are going to be a good thing.  And building batteries and components in the United States, I think that, if anything, those will expand, not contract.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you.  Last question, we’ll go to Kemi Osukoya.  Kemi, you should be able to unmute yourself.

Q    Hello?

MODERATOR:  Yep, we can hear you, Kemi.

Q    Oh, okay.  Thank you very much.  Thank you for taking my question.  I wanted to ask, regarding — I know during the G7 — the Lobito Corridor is in partnership with the G7 alliance, and there was an announcement that was made, I believe by BlackRock and Microsoft, in June, while President Biden was in Italy.  So could you — this trip also, a major part of it, will focus on business.  So can you talk about some of the American companies that perhaps might accomplish the — accompany the presidents on this trip? 

And the other side of my question is: About two years or a year ago, the President launched the Presidential Advisory Council.  And as you mentioned on this call, there have been several trips to the African continent.  So, if you can talk about the engagements and what you’re hearing from the Advisory Council that engaging the diaspora, not just the African diaspora, but as well as the African American diaspora engagement with Africa, what is the feedback that you are getting that the presidents will use during this trip?  Thank you.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  [Senior administration official], do you want to take the G7 companies question?

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  Sure.  I think we have had companies such as Sun Africa that’s invested in different parts of Africa and in Angola in particular, and expanding its operations. 

Africell is a telecommunications company that’s received investment and financing with the U.S. government, as well as its private sector banking that have been working in about five or so countries in Africa and are expanding in this region, even further beyond Angola, into DRC. 

After years of American companies leaving the continent, in the mining business we now have exciting young, new companies from the United States, such as KoBold that made a huge copper discovery in Zambia that will be there as well. 

So there’s a lot of exciting companies.  Acrow Bridge, from Pennsylvania, that is fabricating bridges in Angola and elsewhere. 

So what we’re seeing is this exciting surge.  But as you said, this corridor is part of the G7.  We have companies from Europe — from Portugal, from Switzerland, from France — and others that are joining this, and all of it being done in collaboration with African governments and African financial institutions, as well as some Americans.  

We had announced earlier this year, during the Kenya state visit to the United States, the fact that there’s going to be a data center built in Kenya. 

We had already announced during the G20 the data center that the U.S. government is helping finance in Ghana.  And I’m hoping that there’ll be another data center announced shortly. 

We also announced the connection from Google, a data line, fiber-optic cable that was going to reach Kenya.  But not just that it’s reaching Kenya from Asia, but that will be connected from Kenya all the way to South Africa through many of the countries of this corridor.  And that is being used with local African companies that are building out the fiber-optic network. 

So what we’re trying to suggest here is that this is about technology, about food security, about infrastructure build-out, and companies from both — from Europe, from Asia, from — representing the whole G7-plus countries are represented in these investments.

SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:  And I can just jump in quickly on the question about the PAC-ADE.  So that’s the President’s Advisory Council on African Diaspora Engagement.  This is one of the initiatives that we’re very proud of in the Biden-Harris administration.  This was announced by VP Harris at the Africa Leaders Summit back in 2022, and then President Biden signed an executive order directing the Secretary of State to establish it. 

As you may know, the council’s members are a really remarkable array of individuals who distinguish themselves in sports industries, in creative industries, in governments, in business, in academia, in faith-based activities.  So President Biden has continued to rely on their advice and their counsel as he’s moved forward our Africa policy.

They did have their first official trip to the African continent as the PAC-ADE.  This July, they traveled to Nigeria, and that was a tremendously constructive engagement. 

So while I can’t get into specifics, I think you can expect that the PAC-ADE will be involved in this upcoming trip, and we continue to be really grateful for their service and their insights.

MODERATOR:  All right, thank you, everybody.  That is all the time that we have today.  If we weren’t able to get to your question, you can feel free to send it to us over email, and we’ll do our best to get back to you all as quickly as possible over this holiday weekend.

And just as a reminder, this conversation is embargoed until 5:00 am Eastern on Sunday.  Let us know if there’s anything else we can do for you.  Thanks.

11:16 A.M. EST   

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We are closely monitoring the situation in Syria and have been in contact over the last 48 hours with regional capitals. The Assad regime’s ongoing refusal to engage in the political process outlined in UNSCR 2254, and its reliance on Russia and Iran, created the conditions now unfolding, including the collapse of Assad regime lines in northwest Syria. At the same time, the United States has nothing to do with this offensive, which is led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), a designated terrorist organization. The United States, together with its partners and allies, urge de-escalation, protection of civilians and minority groups, and a serious and credible political process that can end this civil war once and for all with a political settlement consistent with UNSCR 2254. We will also continue to fully defend and protect U.S. personnel and U.S. military positions, which remain essential to ensuring that ISIS can never again resurge in Syria.

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