Foreign Affairs

President Biden Announces Nominations for the Office of Management and Budget

Shalanda Young Nominated to Serve as Director, Nani Coloretti as Deputy Director Today, President Biden announced his intent to nominate Shalanda Young as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and Nani Coloretti as Deputy Director. President Biden made the announcement in a video here. Both Young and Coloretti have been confirmed by...

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Statement by NEC Director Brian Deese and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan on Samsung Announcement of New Semiconducto

Securing America's supply chains is a top priority for President Biden and his Administration. We welcome Samsung's announcement today that it will build a new semiconductor facility in Texas, helping protect our supply chains, revitalizing our manufacturing base, and creating good jobs right here at home. The Biden-Harris Administration has been working around the clock with Congress,...

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan's Call with Polish National Security Bur

National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan spoke by phone today with Poland's National Security Bureau Chief Pawel Soloch. Mr Sullivan underscored our strong bilateral cooperation on defense issues and welcomed ongoing efforts to strengthen NATO's deterrence posture. He conveyed strong support for Poland in the face of the Lukashenka regime's actions that created a migration crisis...

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Statement by NSC Spokesperson Emily Horne on the U.S.-Lithuania Strategic Dialogue on the Indo-Pacific

The United States and Lithuania convened high-level bilateral consultations in Washington today to discuss opportunities for enhanced cooperation in the Indo-Pacific region, including with like-minded partners. The United States reaffirmed strong support for Lithuania as a valued NATO Ally and partner in addressing many shared global challenges and opportunities, and in particular, those in the Indo-Pacific....

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Statement by the President on Remembering Holodomor

Each November we solemnly honor and pay tribute to the millions of innocent Ukrainians who suffered and perished during the Holodomor - "death by hunger" - in 1932 and 1933. The men, women, and children who lost their lives during this famine were victims of the brutal policies and deliberate acts of the regime of...

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Statement from President Joe Biden

Ahmaud Arbery's killing - witnessed by the world on video - is a devastating reminder of how far we have to go in the fight for racial justice in this country. Mr. Arbery should be here today, celebrating the holidays with his mother, Wanda Cooper Jones, and his father, Marcus Arbery. Nothing can bring Mr. Arbery back to his family and to his community,...

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Statement from President Joe Biden on Unemployment Insurance Claims

This morning, we received two pieces of economic news which underscore that our recovery is continuing to progress at a historic pace. Last year, there were 21 million unemployment insurance claims before the Thanksgiving holiday. Today, there were 2.4 million. This is a historic jobs recovery: 5.6 million jobs created since I took office and...

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Statement from Vice President Kamala Harris

Today, the jury rendered its verdicts and the three defendants were found guilty of murdering Ahmaud Arbery. Still, we feel the weight of grief. Ahmaud Arbery should be alive, and nothing can take away the pain that his mother Wanda Cooper-Jones, his father Marcus Arbery, and the entire Arbery family and community feel today. I...

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Tourism - Meeting between M. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne and Ms Caroline Proulx, Quebec's Minister of Tourism (22 November 2021)

M. Jean-Baptiste Lemoyne, Minister of State for Tourism, French Nationals Abroad and Francophonie, attached to the Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, had a meeting yesterday with Ms Caroline Proulx, Quebec's Minister of Tourism. The Minister of State and the Minister recalled the French and Quebec authorities' active efforts to support those in the tourism industry hit hard by the crisis. They highlighted the importance for Quebec of the French market, the largest overseas market, and (...)

Updated: Wed Nov 24 2021

Background Press Call by Senior Administration Officials on Oil and Gas Prices

Via Teleconference 7:06 A.M. EST MODERATOR: Good morning, everyone. Thanks so much for joining us this early for this background briefing. Some ground rules before we dive right in: This call will be on background, attributable to "senior administration officials." This call will not be embargoed. Not for attribution but just for everyone's awareness, for those on...

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

Bills Signed: H.R. 1510 and S. 108

On Tuesday, November 23, 2021, the President signed into law: H.R. 1510, which requires VA to report to the Congress on the use of cameras in VA medical facilities, Thank you to Representatives McKinley, Trone, Mooney, Miller, Reschenthaler, and Bost and Senators Capito, Manchin, Boozman, Braun, and Sinema for their leadership; and S. 108, which...

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

Egypt - Q&A - (22 Nov. 2021)

Q: According to Disclose, since 2016 France has been providing intelligence to the Egyptian authorities that has been used by Egypt to target traffickers at the Egyptian-Libyan border, rather than Jihadists as provided by the initial agreement. Can you deny the existence of Operation Sirli? A: I refer you to the Ministry for the Armed Forces.

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

France-Australia - Q&A - (22 Nov. 2021)

Q: The American and Australian governments are entering the first phase of their project to build nuclear submarines for the Australian navy. How is France handling Australia's retraction of its contract with Naval Group and its impact on the French-Australian strategic partnership? A: As the minister has noted repeatedly, we are extremely vigilant with respect to commitments toward Naval Group and its French and Australian subcontractors, and we will strongly defend our interests in this (...)

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

Greece - Visit by M. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs (19 November 2021)

M. Jean-Yves Le Drian, Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, visited Greece today. He had meetings with Prime Minister Mr Kyriakos Mitsotakis and Greek Foreign Minister Mr Nikos Dendias. During his meetings, the Minister spoke of the relationship of trust between our two countries, illustrated by the signing of a strategic partnership on 28 September 2021. Jean-Yves Le Drian also reviewed the priority issues for the French presidency of the Council of the European Union (EU), which (...)

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

Indonesia - Visit by Jean-Yves Le Drian (Nov. 23-24, 2021)

Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs Jean-Yves Le Drian will be in Indonesia on November 23 and 24. He will be hosted by Indonesian President Joko Widodo and will meet with his counterpart, Foreign Minister Retno Marsudi. Mr. Le Drian will also have discussions with Defense Minister Prabowo Subianto and Luhut Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment. During this visit, which marks the 10th anniversary of the strategic partnership between France and (...)

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

NATO - Q&A - (22 Nov. 2021)

Q: NATO Secretary-General Jens Stoltenberg said that if Germany refuses to deploy NATO's nuclear weapons, they could be transfered to other European countries, including countries in the eastern part of Europe. Do you think that moving the nuclear arsenal closer to Russia's borders could have negative consequences from the standpoint of strategic stability? A: As reiterated at the last NATO summit, the fundamental aim of NATO's nuclear capacity is to preserve peace, to prevent coercive (...)

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

President Biden Announces Release from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve As Part of Ongoing Efforts to Lower Prices and Address

Announcement is in parallel with other major energy consuming nations, including China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, and the United Kingdom Over the last 18 months, the COVID-19 pandemic forced an unprecedented global economic shutdown. As the world is re-opening from a near economic standstill, countries across the globe are grappling with the challenges that...

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

Press Briefing by White House COVID-19 Response Team and Public Health Officials

Via Teleconference 4:33 P.M. EST MR. ZIENTS: (In progress.) Today, we'll focus on booster shots. And we'll start with Drs. Walensky and Fauci, and then I'll provide an operations update. Dr. Walensky, over to you. DR. WALENSKY: Thank you, Jeff. Good afternoon. As always, I'd like to start by walking you through the data. The...

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Jen Psaki En Route Fort Bragg, NC

Aboard Air Force OneEn Route Fort Bragg, North Carolina 5:00 P.M. EST MS. PSAKI: All right, hi everyone. Okay, I have a few things at the top for you. Welcome to our trip to Fort Bragg. The President and the First Lady will be attending a Friendsgiving meal, hosted by the Robert Irvine Foundation, as...

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021

Remarks by President Biden on the Economy and Lowering Prices for the American People

South Court Auditorium 2:21 P.M. EST THE PRESIDENT: Good afternoon. This week, millions of Americans, including some of the people in this room, are likely to be hitting the road, reuniting with their loved ones in cities and towns all across America to celebrate Thanksgiving. As they do, I want to take a moment to talk about...

Updated: Tue Nov 23 2021