Karine Jean-Pierre (00:05):
Hi everybody.
Press (00:06):
Hi.
Karine Jean-Pierre (00:06):
Good afternoon.
Press (00:06):
Good afternoon.
Karine Jean-Pierre (00:09):
All right, so the President and the First Lady continue to grieve the lives lost and livelihoods destroyed by the tragic wildfires that are burning communities in Southern California to the ground. Before I head it over to FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell, who has been on the ground in California and will provide further details on the federal response, I wanted to take a moment to remind everyone in this room and who's watching at home, that this is not about politics. This is about people. This is about humanity. People who have literally lost everything: homes, schools, and businesses. Entire communities burnt to the ground. Treasured artifacts like personal photos, precious family heirlooms, and other priceless belongings, all reduced to rubble. And I know there's many of you, your colleagues out there who are on the ground trying to cover all of the disastrous moments that we're seeing on the ground with this event, and I hope you all are being safe out there.
(01:19)
We need to be thinking about Californians, their priorities, and how we can all come together to support them. From Maui to North Carolina to California, we have seen that these disasters do not discriminate. So it is on all of us to show these people, to show folks in California, some compassion as they are reckoning with an unimaginable disaster. While nothing can bring back what many have lost, the President and his administration are continuing to use every tool at our disposal to help fight these fires and ensure that the communities impacted are able to recover. The President has received regular briefings on the fires at his direction. His team has been in contact, constant contact, with their state and local counterparts from the day the fire started. Just last night he spoke separately with Governor Newsom, Senator Schiff, Congressman Sherman and [inaudible 00:02:24] Mayor Bass and L.A. County Supervisor Solis and Barger to discuss the latest updates on the wildfires across Los Angeles.
(02:33)
And earlier this week, the President was in California where he received briefings from personnel on the ground and met with firefighters who are on the front lines of this response, to ensure they have the resources they need. As soon as the fires broke out, FEMA approved Fire Management Assistance Grants to reimburse California for firefighting costs and the President immediately approved the state's request for a major disaster declaration for California, allowing impacted communities and survivors to immediately access funds and resources to jumpstart their recovery.
(03:11)
As you just heard from the President moments ago, we have made some progress over the last 24 hours. Overnight, local state and federal firefighters partially contained some of the largest wildfires. There is still a long way to go, but we will continue to be with the people of California every step of the way. Other actions the Biden-Harris administration has taken is to support local firefighting efforts include five U.S. Forest Service, large air tankers operating in Southern California with an additional tanker en route, over 20 federal firefighting helicopters performing operational operations in the area in support of state and local firefighters. Additionally, two air firefighting system units are being deployed from each of the California and Nevada National Guards and 10 Navy helicopters with water buckets are en route from San Diego. And Colorado is providing assistance from the mobilization of aviation assets as well as fielding of 50 engine companies to assist with firefighting on the ground.
(04:19)
As always, we stand ready to provide further support as needed and we urge residents in the affected areas to remain vigilant and heed the warnings of local officials, especially if you have been ordered to evacuate. And to everyone impacted by this tragedy, please remember that we see you, we are with you, and we will do everything within our power to get you the help that you need. With that, I will turn it over to the FEMA Administrator Criswell. The floor is yours.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (04:51):
Thank you, Karine. Good afternoon everybody. I just want to start by telling everybody that has been impacted by these devastating fires that my heart is with each and every one of you. And I know that you continue to face these fires as they are still working to bring them under control. And unfortunately this will probably be a life-changing event for so many of you. But FEMA is here along with our entire federal family to help you through this recovery process. We are going to continue to support the state and the local jurisdictions, the local first responders, as they continue to try to contain this fire and eventually extinguish this fire. I arrived on the ground yesterday, as Karine said, at the direction of the President, I had an opportunity to meet with Governor Newsom and Mayor Bass. We discussed what their immediate needs were as well as began the conversation about what their recovery needs are going to be.
(05:48)
The Governor, the Mayor and I had an opportunity just before this to also brief the President and the Vice President about what their concerns are, about what their needs are going to be and provided an update on the current status of the firefighting operations. Yesterday I also had an opportunity to receive briefings from the incident command posts at the Palisades Fire as well as the Eaton fire. And I think the most important thing that I want to make sure I continue to get across to everyone is this situation is still very dangerous. It is still very dynamic. The winds have died down today, but as I just got a weather briefing at the County ERC, the winds are going to increase again in the coming days. And so people still need to stay vigilant. They need to listen to their local officials. They need to heed their advice so they can keep themselves and their families safe.
(06:41)
I also want to just take a minute to commend all of the amazing and heroic work that the firefighters are doing around the clock to fight these fires. They have been working night and day. I had a chance to speak with several of them, some of them whose homes have also been lost or their families have had to evacuate. Yet they still show up every day supporting their communities, trying to keep them safe. And I just want to say thank you. I want to thank all of them for their heroic efforts because they are making a difference.
(07:16)
Now while the National Interagency Fire Center continues to provide resources to support CAL FIRE and the Los Angeles County and city fire departments, FEMA is also supporting the recovery efforts. We're supporting those that have been impacted by this fire. I even met with the SBA administrator here just briefly, who is also here to support them, businesses and individuals that have been impacted by these fires.
(07:43)
With the quick major disaster declaration, residents can now register and begin their recovery journey. Some of the immediate things that we can provide to them are to cover the costs that they're incurring as they have been evacuated, helping to support what their longer term shelter and housing needs are going to be. We can also help support crisis counseling and disaster unemployment. These are just a few of the programs that we have. We have many more, and I encourage everyone to begin that process by registering now.
(08:14)
Recovery from these fires is going to be complex. I've seen many disasters throughout my four years in this role. This is certainly one of the worst that I have seen. And the debris removal alone is going to be one of the major things that we have to accomplish, that the state has to accomplish, to get this recovery journey started. And that's why when President Biden authorized a hundred percent reimbursement for the first 180 days is really going to set the stage to jump start this recovery for these communities.
(08:47)
I had a chance to drive through some of the communities that were impacted as well. And it's not just the homes that are lost. We've seen schools that have been destroyed, businesses, small businesses, religious institutions. These are things that we are going to be able to help with temporary facilities, like temporary schools to help get children back into the schoolhouse, but also any other emergency measures as they begin the work of permanent repair. Thousands of homes have been destroyed and we continue to hear the numbers change, but know that this is going to be a long-term recovery for all of these individuals that have been impacted. And as I told the governor and the mayor yesterday and today, I assured them that our programs, our staff, the entire federal family are going to be here with them, alongside them, helping them achieve the outcomes that they need to not just rebuild these communities, but also rebuild them in a way that's going to make them stronger and more resistant to the types of weather events that they have been experiencing.
(09:56)
This recovery journey is going to be long, but we are going to be there with them to support them every step of the way. And with that, Karine, I'm happy to take some questions.
Karine Jean-Pierre (10:04):
Thank you so much Administrator. Go ahead Steve.
Steve (10:07):
Thanks Karine. Thanks Administrator. Hope you could speak to whether your agency has enough money currently to fund the immediate response needs, or is there a need to go to Congress quickly to get additional funds and then separately 10 days out from the presidential transition, what steps are underway at FEMA to ensure that what has been done so far, what's going to be done in the coming days is sustained at the career level and beyond into the new administration? Thank you.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (10:37):
Yeah, with the recent supplemental, FEMA received $27 billion, and so we are now able to continue to support the ongoing recovery efforts for all of the disasters that we've been supporting to include now the immediate response and the initial recovery efforts that are going to be needed here in California. So we're very grateful for the bipartisan support from Congress to give us that additional funding so we can meet the needs of the individuals that have been impacted. And as far as going through the transition, we have an amazing dedicated workforce of women and men that are going to be able to continue to support them. Our regional administrator here has worked many fires across several different administrations, and we are going to work day in and day out to continue to support them through the authorities that are given to us through the Stafford Act.
Josh (11:26):
Thank you Administrator for taking our questions. I wonder realistically, how quickly will people be able to obtain these temporary living quarters? What are you doing to set those up? Where are you setting them up and how are you making sure to get in contact with people that may need those temporary shelters?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (11:46):
Yeah, so the first step that everybody needs to do, there's two things. They need to register for assistance with FEMA so they get in our system and we can continue to work with them on a case-by-case basis because we know that everybody's going to have an individual and unique need and they need to contact their insurance company because their insurance company may also provide alternate living expenses. We have a suite of tools. One of the biggest tools and the best resources we have is reimbursing individuals for either the hotel costs that they're experiencing right now or if they find a place to rent, reimbursing them for rental assistance. Given where we're at right now, we know that there's going to be a lot of rental resources and that's going to be the best resource and the best tool that we have to support the families that have been impacted. But we have other tools in our toolbox. And so again, we want to work with everybody individually because we know that everybody's situation is going to be different and we're going to apply the right tool for their particular situation.
Karine Jean-Pierre (12:44):
Okay Mary.
Mary (12:44):
Thank you Administrator. I know you can't obviously put a dollar sign on this, but can you just help us put into perspective a bit how you think the cost of this may compare to the cost of other recent natural disasters? And I'm hoping you could also comment on some misinformation that's out there. We've seen these erroneous evacuation orders, how concerned you are that that may lead to people to not responding to or not paying close enough attention to actual real alerts.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (13:10):
Yeah, it's really hard right now on the cost of the disaster to put a number on it because we haven't been able to assess how much of the infrastructure has been damaged. I mean, we know that thousands of homes that have been impacted, but the real cost of these disasters comes from how much of the actual infrastructure has been damaged, the roads, the water system, the power, but also the soft costs and the economic impact. We know that this is going to be billions. And so we really want to continue to focus right now on whatever we can do to continue to support California in getting this fire suppressed and starting this recovery process. And again, thanks to the bipartisan support of Congress, we have enough funding to support those recovery efforts and these response efforts. And as far as the misinformation and the alert that went out, I mean, we want to make sure people are getting timely and accurate information, and
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (14:00):
I will defer to the county for the specifics on what they're doing as far as that alert, but know that it's part of our wireless emergency alert platform that FEMA offers to state and locals. And we are providing technical assistance to them to make sure we can help them understand what happened and ensure that it doesn't happen again.
(14:19)
Because we have to be able to send out accurate information so we can give people the right information and they know to believe it.
Karine Jean-Pierre (14:25):
Good job.
Speaker 1 (14:26):
Thanks, Karine. Administrator, the president was referring in the Oval earlier and yesterday to, I guess some misinformation about the fire hydrants. Can you just spell it out clearly? Is there a water shortage? Is there an issue with water? And if not, what's the issue?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (14:46):
Yeah, I would really defer to the city and the county for the specifics. But what I have been briefed is that it was an overload of the system. There were so many simultaneous fires that happened at once. There was multiple firefighting resources that were utilizing and using the water system to put out these fires, and it put a strain on the system. And it takes time for that system to then regenerate.
(15:11)
But the specifics on it, I really just want to make sure that you talk with them. As we heard from the Los Angeles City fire chief yesterday, they plan for this. They have other resources available with water tenders. And now we have the ability to fly the aircraft into these communities to help put that fire out. You talk about the multiple simultaneous fires that started, and it just put a strain on the system, from my understanding.
Speaker 1 (15:38):
Just one follow-up on the coordination with the incoming administration. Are you speaking to anyone yourself, on the transition? And has the misinformation aspect come up in those discussions?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (15:52):
We have a whole team dedicated to be working with the transition team and they're providing regular briefings to them on a daily basis. And so we're providing whatever information that they ask for.
Karine Jean-Pierre (16:02):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (16:03):
President Biden committed to 180 days of a hundred percent match on recovery funds. Just technically, how is he able to commit to six months when he's only going to be in office for 10 more days? Is that locked in, or could that change if the next administration has a different idea?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (16:24):
This is a practice that many administrations have utilized to help support the immediate needs in the response to one of these major catastrophic disasters. And what we want to be able to do is recognize the catastrophic impact of that. And the president has the authority through the statute, through law, to be able to commit this amount of funding to support the recovery efforts.
(16:47)
I would hope that we look at this, as I think Karine said earlier, that these are communities that have had a catastrophic impact, and that we want to make sure that we are doing everything we can as a federal family to support them on this recovery journey.
(17:04)
The statute, the law, allows us to do exactly what we did and allows the president to make that determination. And this is what they need; they need the support in order to facilitate the recovery that's going to have to happen.
Speaker 2 (17:17):
And just a quick follow, does that mean that it can't be rolled back?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (17:21):
I'm certain that anybody can make a determination on if they want to do something or not, but this was done according to the statute. And I would think that the statute would say that this is the direction that needs to happen and that it shouldn't be rolled back.
Arlette Saenz (17:37):
This is Arlette Saenz with CNN. In your conversations with any of the local officials, have any of them expressed concerns about the possibility that that funding could be rolled back?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (17:46):
Well, I think I've gotten the question from several people about what's going to happen over the transition. And the same thing that I've said to you is that we have dedicated career women and men that have been supporting disaster response for everywhere around the country. Not just this administration, but the previous administration and every administration before that. And the actions that we have taken in this administration are no different than the types of declarations that have happened before.
(18:14)
And I want to assure them that the law, the Stafford Act that gives us the authority to provide these declarations, is one that has withstood since 1979. And we will continue to implement it as directed by the law.
Karine Jean-Pierre (18:29):
Kelly O.
Kelly O'Donnell (18:31):
Administrator, this is Kelly O'Donnell from NBC. Do you have concerns about the inventory of available housing for people who've been displaced, and for the length of time it would take for rebuilding? Obviously it's going to be sometime before you could even clear parcels that people may own or what have you.
(18:50)
Do you see almost an extinction of some of these communities, for a period of time?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (18:57):
We're going to work with the state to understand what the housing stock is because as I said, one of the best resources that we have is our rental assistance. And we want to get people into that longer-term temporary situation as quickly as possible so they can continue on with their lives. We're going to have to do an assessment to see what the availability is, and then determine if we're going to need to bring in other tools to help support the ongoing housing requirement for these communities.
(19:27)
But know that our goal is to keep people in these communities. We do not want them to move far from their communities. This is where they work, this is where their schools are, this is where their family, their religious institutions are. And so our goal is to find everything we can as close to their communities so they can keep the community part of them intact. The houses and the buildings might be gone, but the community stays. That community spirit will always be there. And so that is what our goal is, and that's what we'll work with the state and the county to achieve.
Karine Jean-Pierre (19:59):
Okay. In the back, go ahead.
Speaker 3 (20:03):
Thanks, Karine. Thanks, Administrator. The president previewed that the death toll was likely to increase. Does the federal government have a handle on how many missing people there are, as well as any advice you have for people dealing with air quality issues at the moment?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (20:19):
I didn't hear the second question, but to answer the first question, that's something I would have to defer to the state. All of those numbers come from the coroner to determine the number of fatalities. And the number missing is something that they'll track. We're just going to continue to support them if they need resources to help with that.
(20:36)
And then, what was your second question?
Speaker 3 (20:38):
Just about advice that you would have for people dealing with air quality issues in the area?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (20:44):
With their what issues?
Karine Jean-Pierre (20:45):
Air quality issues in the area.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (20:46):
Oh, air quality, air quality issues.
Karine Jean-Pierre (20:48):
What's your advice to folks on [inaudible 00:20:49]
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (20:49):
Again, listening to your local officials, there's definitely air quality issues around the area. And the beauty of the wind dying down is that they can get better control over the fires, but it also doesn't blow the smoke out. And so there are definitely a lot of concerns from across the area here, about what the air quality is going to look like. And so they need to make the decisions that's best for them.
(21:12)
And I know that the Departments of Public Health at both the county and the state are providing information and guidance. And I would have them listen to them for what the best resources are for them to protect themselves from the air quality impacts from these fires.
Karine Jean-Pierre (21:25):
Okay, we're going to wrap it up. Go ahead.
Speaker 4 (21:27):
Thanks Karine. Thank you Administrator.
(21:28)
I am curious. As you're briefing the incoming administration, are there specific steps you are recommending that they take in this response given how long-term it's likely going to be?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (21:40):
Yeah, that's something that our career staff that are here on the ground in California that are going to be back at headquarters, they will continue to work through all of the requirements to support the recovery efforts.
(21:54)
And as the incoming administration comes on board, we will give them an update as to where we're at with the status, and any challenges that we're finding and the direction and the vision that we need to do to achieve the governor, the mayor's outcomes for this disaster recovery, but all of the disaster recoveries. We had 179 disaster declarations just last year alone.
(22:14)
And so, our team that has been working these, day in and day out for the last four years, will continue to do so within the new administration.
Karine Jean-Pierre (22:22):
Okay. Last question.
Speaker 5 (22:22):
Thank you Karine. So as the rebuilding gets underway, will there be any requirements around fire-resistant building materials to be used, and other safety measures that construction crews should adhere to?
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (22:39):
I just want to make sure I heard the question. As the rebuilding begins, are there going to be requirements on how they rebuild? Did I hear that right? I'm sorry.
Karine Jean-Pierre (22:45):
Yes, you did.
Speaker 5 (22:45):
On fire resistance.
Karine Jean-Pierre (22:46):
Fire resistance.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (22:49):
Yeah. So one of the things that we can do to help support these communities is we do have mechanisms through our mitigation programs. Whether that's in the public infrastructure that's getting rebuilt, or through our hazard mitigation grants that the state can offer.
(23:05)
As they rebuild, we want them to rebuild in a way that helps make them more fire resistant. And so we encourage the use of that flexibility within our authorities, to make sure that these communities are stronger to face any future events that they might see like this.
Karine Jean-Pierre (23:19):
Okay. All right. Administrator, since we have 10 days left, I wanted to be sure to say thank you so much for your service. It's been an honor to work with you. Please stay safe in California. And again, thank you so much.
FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell (23:32):
Thanks Karine. Thanks everybody.
Karine Jean-Pierre (23:34):
Oh, I have actually two more things and then I'll get to questions.
(23:37)
So I'll quickly turn to Venezuela where Maduro once again demonstrated his complete disregard for democratic norms and proceeded with his illegitimate inauguration. As President Biden emphasized during his meeting with President-elect Edmundo Gonzalez-Urrutia on Monday, January 6th, we believe that it is essential that the will of the Venezuelan people is respected. In coordination with our partners, we've given Maduro and his representatives every opportunity to restore democracy, but they haven't.
(24:13)
So today we are building on all of our previous actions. And taking further major actions, we announced new sanctions on key Maduro-aligned officials as a part of our efforts to hold them accountable. And we imposed more visa restrictions totaling nearly 2, 000 individuals. We also increased the reward amount to $25 million for Nicolas Maduro and his so-called Minister of Interior as part of the Department of State's Narcotics Rewards program. Only the second and third to have the largest amount allowed.
(24:47)
It is important to note that we are taking these actions alongside similar actions taken by Canada, the European Union, the United Kingdom, to demonstrate a message of solidarity with the Venezuelan people and further elevate international efforts to maintain pressure on Maduro and his representatives. Today, Maduro finds himself more alone than ever, with few friends in the region and around the world.
(25:15)
And before I get to your question, just one more thing. I did want to highlight some good news we received this morning. The final jobs report for the Biden-Harris administration was released today and a remarkable 250,000 jobs were created last month, defying expectations. Additionally, the unemployment rate ticked down to a low of 4.1%. This is the only administration to gain jobs every month. We had zero months with job losses. This was no accident. President Biden's administration has delivered the strongest recovery in the world and laid a strong foundation for years to come by investing in America, empowering workers and unions, lowering costs, and supporting small businesses.
(26:01)
Over 16.6 million jobs created the lowest average unemployment rate of any administration in 50 years. Record high employment rates for working age women, and lowest Black / white unemployment gap on record. Inflation down faster than almost any other advanced economy, and incomes up almost $4,000. And again, this was no accident. This is because of the president's leadership.
(26:32)
And as the President said, our nation faces an inflection point. Do we continue to grow the economy from the middle out and bottom up, or do we backslide to trickle-down economics? And that is a question that we have to ask.
(26:48)
In the meantime, we'll continue with this briefing. Go ahead.
Steve (26:51):
Thanks Karine. First off, yesterday, the Senate advanced, the Laken Riley Act, which passed the house. If it's presented to him before he leaves office on the 20th, would the president sign that bill or veto it?
Karine Jean-Pierre (27:02):
I'm not going to get ahead of what's happening. I know there was a procedural vote that happened in the Senate. I'm going to let the process play out, let the senators do their work on that. I don't want to get ahead of that. So we're going to let it play out. I'm not going to get into a hypothetical on this right now.
Steve (27:22):
The administration also often puts out statements in administration policy. You're not putting one out here?
Karine Jean-Pierre (27:26):
Well, the process is still playing out. And so we're going to certainly follow all of the latest developments on this. And so we want to evaluate the bill, we haven't done that yet. We ought to evaluate the bill, certainly at the end of that process. And then we will have more to say, I just don't want to get ahead of it right now.
Steve (27:44):
And the president in the Oval said he'd be speaking to us later today about Russia and some other issues. Is that going to happen?
Karine Jean-Pierre (27:50):
So we'll have more to share with all of you on what the president's going to be speaking on. Certainly we'll share that shortly.
Steve (27:57):
But he'll be speaking today?
Karine Jean-Pierre (27:59):
That's what the
Karine Jean-Pierre (28:00):
… President said, and that's what we're working out.
Steve (28:02):
Then lastly, it is customary for presidents to offer to leave office with a final press conference. Does he plan to schedule one for his final week in office?
Karine Jean-Pierre (28:11):
I don't have anything to preview right now at this moment. As you know, as you just mentioned, the president took questions today. He took questions yesterday. He's going to certainly continue to engage with all of you by taking your questions as he's done multiple times recently. I don't have anything to preview about a press conference. Go ahead, Mary.
Mary (28:30):
Do you or does the administration have any response to Donald Trump's sentencing earlier today?
Karine Jean-Pierre (28:36):
Kook, we're going to focus, one of the reasons we had Administrator Criswell in the room, as you all know and you guys have done a very good job, certainly some of your colleagues who are out there on the ground covering this disastrous, catastrophic fire. The president wants to continue to focus on that. That's what we want to continue to focus on. We're not focused on what occurred today, certainly with the court decision.
(29:03)
We are, and we've been saying this, I know it's probably ad nauseum. We've been saying this, that we are running through the tape and I think we have proven that almost every day. Certainly in 2025, we've been pretty busy. So that's going to be our focus. What can we do to continue to deliver for the American people? What can we do to make the lives of the American people better and that is our focus. Not going to speak to the decisions made in the court today. Go ahead.
Speaker 1 (29:30):
Two questions, Karine. One on META. META made a decision this week about doing away with its fact-checking for Facebook and its other platforms. Does the White House have a reaction to that?
Karine Jean-Pierre (29:45):
We've been pretty consistent here over the last four years. When any corporation or company makes a decision, a private company to be more specific, makes a decision, we just are not going to comment so I'm not going to comment on this. Just going to leave it in that realm.
(30:08)
Look, social media, I'll say this. Social media companies make their own rules about content moderation. With that said, we have been outspoken about our belief that the social media companies have an important role to play in enforcing their own rules to prevent the spread of misinformation. That is a responsibility that that company has and we've always been pretty clear about that. But speaking specifically to an announcement, we're just not going to comment on that.
Speaker 1 (30:42):
I understand, but that is something that you guys have been outspoken about and they're making a change on that, so I guess it's something I thought maybe you would want to comment on.
Karine Jean-Pierre (30:49):
No, I mean, look. We talk about social media companies having a responsibility. We've always said that. We've all been really clear about that. We've also been clear that policy decisions that are made by private companies, we're not going to speak to those specific announcements, but we can speak broadly on our belief and how we see their responsibility. That's as far as we've always gone and we're not going to go beyond that.
Speaker 1 (31:14):
Just briefly on another topic with regard to the Russia sanctions that we're were announced today. Does the president, does the White House have any concern that that could lead to an increase in gas prices for consumers?
Karine Jean-Pierre (31:25):
Look, we took aim today, in your question, at Russia's largest resources of revenue and imposed significant sanctions on the Russian energy sector. These sanctions certainly target both Russian oil and LNG and we expect our actions to cost Russia upwards to billions of dollars per month and so that's important to note as well.
(31:51)
These also, let's not forget, that these sanctions really continue for us to make good on the commitment that we made, that the president made, and his G7 counterparts made to target Russia's ability to use its energy sector to fund and sustain this war. We've talked about this for some time and so now the president certainly made good on that commitment.
(32:16)
It's not just us. Obviously we won't rejoin these actions with the UK, which impose significant and complementary actions of its own. I think it is important to note that by taking these significant actions against Russia, oil markets are in fundamentally a better place. That's number one. And number two, the U.S. economy is a fundamentally better place as well. That's why we took this action now. This is a commitment that the president wanted to uphold, not just the president, but also his G7 counterparts and that's what you're seeing right now.
Speaker 1 (32:51):
But my question was whether you're concerned that it will lead to an increase in gas prices.
Karine Jean-Pierre (32:55):
I mean, look, I've said, look, one of the things that we expect and we believe is that the supply of energy is going to exceed global demand through this year with ample capacity within the outside of OPEC+ to increase production if necessary. Since the start of Russia's war, benchmark oil prices have fallen almost $35 per barrel and average U.S. gasoline prices have dropped from roughly $4 to just $3 per gallon. That's because of the actions that this president has taken. That is what we want to continue to see and so that's what we also think will continue to be like for the gas prices. We believe the gas prices will continue to be where it is and continue to go down because of the actions that the president has taken.
Speaker 4 (33:49):
President Biden was expected to meet with Ukrainian President Zelensky when he was in Rome today. Is he planning to speak with him?
Karine Jean-Pierre (33:58):
The president did speak to President Zelensky moments ago. We will have a readout for all of you. Obviously the president wanted to reach out to President Zelensky because, as you just stated, they were supposed to meet in Rome. It did not happen because the president decided to stay and be back here because of the catastrophic fires obviously that we're seeing in Southern California so the president decided to stay back, but they did have a conversation. They spoke moments ago. I know the team before I came out here was going to work on a readout and so we'll have that out to all of you soon.
Speaker 4 (34:30):
In his interview with USA Today earlier this week, the president talked a bit about preemptive pardons, saying that they are still potentially on the table. Can you speak a little bit about the scope that he is considering when it comes to that and if he's any closer to-
Karine Jean-Pierre (34:42):
We have been saying that the president will have more to say, more to announce on pardons and commutations. We have 10 days to go, so certainly that will be very soon that we'll make those announcements. I'm not going to get into the scope. I'm not going to get ahead of the president, but we will be making some more additional announcements on pardons and commutations before the end of his term.
Speaker 6 (35:06):
You mentioned the president spoke with Zelensky, but is he also going to have a conversation with the Pope? I know he was also supposed to meet with him, or is there any thought that the Rome trip could reemerge in the final 10 days?
Karine Jean-Pierre (35:19):
I don't have anything to say to add or to announce about a change in schedule. What I can say is, I just mentioned that he spoke to President Zelensky. He wanted to share with the president our continued support for Ukraine, which you've seen over the past three years and so that was a part of their conversation.
(35:40)
As it relates to the Pope, I don't have anything to announce about a conversation with the Pope. If we have anything to share, we certainly we'll share that with all of you. Kelly.
Kelly O'Donnell (35:49):
Has the president received any updated information about the status of his son's home in California? Also, his granddaughter lives there now. He did make some reference to seeing some pictures. I wasn't quite certain I heard it correctly related to Secret Service being burned out. Can you give us an update on anything that relates to the family?
Karine Jean-Pierre (36:09):
What I can say, Secret Service, you would have to reach out to the Secret Service for them to speak to any developments and what has occurred with them. As it relates to the president and his son, I don't have anything else to add beyond what the president shared. Just don't have anything at this time.
Kelly O'Donnell (36:27):
Is he inquiring and getting any on-the-ground information related to-
Karine Jean-Pierre (36:30):
I don't have anything to share. What I can say is that when it relates to Secret Service, certainly you have to reach out to Secret Service, but obviously he's in close touch with his son and his family.
Kelly O'Donnell (36:43):
Because he referenced that, and they would only be present if protectees were at issue and they would be connected to the president. That's why I'm asking if he's getting any update on anything related to that.
Karine Jean-Pierre (36:54):
Well, again, I don't have anything else to add to what the president shared as it relates to Secret Service and protectees and what they're doing specifically, you would have to reach out to the Secret Service and we've been pretty consistent on that.
Kelly O'Donnell (37:05):
Did he have any opportunity at all to speak to the President-elect about the fires? They were obviously briefly in the same place yesterday with the Carter funeral and so forth. Does he see a need to, I know there's a full transition operation.
Karine Jean-Pierre (37:20):
I was going to say there's a full transition operation. You heard the Administrator talk about their process on that side as it relates to FEMA. Don't have a conversation to read out that the President had with the President-elect, but as you said, there's a transition happening. We want it to be effective. We want to make sure that they have what they need and so that continues.
Kelly O'Donnell (37:44):
One last one. As a part of transition, is an office of the former president also being stood up and would that be in Delaware presumably?
Karine Jean-Pierre (37:52):
Yeah, I don't have anything to say about location, but the protocols that normally occur when a president leaves his post, it's going to continue. I don't have a location for you. Go ahead.
Josh (38:05):
Just briefly, we talked about the President's family being affected by this. The Vice President's home was also under an evacuation order. Any update there on her home in Los Angeles?
Karine Jean-Pierre (38:15):
Yeah, it's devastating. This is her city, her neighborhood, and her state. I would have to refer you to the Vice President's office on any updates that they might share with you. Don't have anything for you at this time, but certainly it's devastating. So many people are affected by this and it's heartbreaking.
Josh (38:36):
Just a quick follow up. Will she travel to the Los Angeles area this weekend? Is there any travel plan for her?
Karine Jean-Pierre (38:42):
I would refer you to the Vice President's office on any travel or her schedule.
Josh (38:46):
One more, one more. Quick one, I promise. We talk about the transition. Have you hosted any conversations with your immediate successor and when will your final briefing take place?
Karine Jean-Pierre (38:57):
I'm sure you guys are all very excited about that.
Josh (39:02):
No, I'm just asking.
Karine Jean-Pierre (39:05):
I have not had a discussion with my successor. I'm letting the transition team manage that process and just doing my job, focusing on my job on behalf of the president. We will have a briefing next week and certainly we will share that with all of you to, I guess, to say goodbye.
Gary (39:29):
Hi, Karine. I have a couple of topics if you don't mind. First on Venezuela. You mentioned the sanctions that the administration is putting on Venezuela in its final 10 days. Are you in discussions with the incoming administration about policy towards Venezuela, and are you expecting those sanctions to hold once Trump does take offers?
Karine Jean-Pierre (39:46):
Look, I can't speak to what the next administration is going to do or not do. What I can say is I believe Jake Sullivan talked about this when the National Security Advisor talked about this a couple of times, whether in a gaggle or here at the podium. Saying that they are in constant communication with their incoming counterparts, the NSC is. I'm sure those conversations are happening on that side of things with the transitioning.
(40:13)
I can't speak to what the next administration is going to do or not do, but we are in constant communication with the transition team here is in constant communication with their transition, well, their transition team is in constant communication with our folks here.
Gary (40:30):
Just another one on Havana Syndrome and AHR. There's been a slight shift in the intelligence community assessment surrounding this phenomenon. Does the White House believe that this is because of foreign actors? It's happening because of foreign actors?
Karine Jean-Pierre (40:45):
Look, we put out a statement on this. I would certainly refer you to the statement that came out from my colleague out of the National Security Council. What I will say is the intelligence community assessment is one element of an interdisciplinary approach this administration has taken to getting to the bottom of these incidents. We believe it's important to do so and ensuring our colleagues receive the support and care they need and that they deserve.
(41:13)
The ICA's updated assessment is a product of ongoing analysis. That's basically what is stated in our statement to make sure that we continue those efforts, which we welcome and which only reinforce why it is vital for the U.S. government to continue critical research, investigate credible incidents, and provide care. They're an ongoing process. And so that is part of what certainly our statement stated and also what the ICA said as well.
Gary (41:41):
I read that statement from Sean earlier, and part of it said that the administration, current administration will be briefing the incoming administration about this to continue that work. What does that briefing process look like and what does it involve?
Karine Jean-Pierre (41:54):
I mean, look, I'm not going to get into private discussions or conversations. Obviously
Karine Jean-Pierre (42:00):
This is a intelligence community situation, so I'm going to leave it certainly in their hands. So I'm not going to divulge or get into what those conversations will look like, but like I've said multiple times, we are certainly keeping the transition team up to date on matters that are important certainly to our national security, but to the American people.
Speaker 7 (42:23):
That's great.
Speaker 8 (42:24):
Thank you.
Karine Jean-Pierre (42:24):
Go ahead, Josh.
Josh (42:24):
The Supreme Court indicated today that it will allow the TikTok ban or divestment ruling to proceed with the deadline of January 19th. The administration have a position on whether that should happen. Of course, the incoming administration, he's changed his view.
Karine Jean-Pierre (42:42):
So look, we've been very clear about our position. Obviously the President signed the bill and we believe it's not a ban, it's a divestment and obviously there are provisions in that on how to move forward. It's in the courts. We've allowed that process to play out. I don't have anything else to add beyond that.
Josh (43:05):
[inaudible 00:43:05] divestment happen in nine days? I mean, it seems like it's door number one at this point.
Karine Jean-Pierre (43:08):
I mean, look, we've been very clear what we stand on this. 9, 10 days. I would certainly leave it up to TikTok to speak to that.
Josh (43:18):
Going back to the Russia sanctions, can you walk us through the thought process on this? The President-elect has obviously made clear his desire for some sort of deal to end the fighting. Is this trying to set the table for that by ratcheting up pressure on Russia? Another way of asking that is why not do this earlier than now?
Karine Jean-Pierre (43:38):
I mean, look, this is as I stated, this is a commitment that was made by the President and the G7 counterparts, his G7 counterparts, and we've always said that we were going to find ways to put pressure on Russia. We've always said that it is up to Russia to end this war. They can do it today. And we've been, I think, pretty clear on that. This is not the first sanctions. We've done multiple sanctions over the past almost three years as this war has gone on. And so it wasn't just us. This was also in coordination with our allies and partners. And so that's what you saw. You saw UK make an announcement as well, but we've been clear. We've been clear that we were going to take actions and so that's what you see from this administration. But this is not the first one. We've done multiple, as I just stated, actions before and we want to make sure that we hold Russia accountable here.
Josh (44:33):
By definition, you made the choice not to do these specific actions, which are pretty significant for a couple of years.
Karine Jean-Pierre (44:41):
Yeah, they are significant. You're right.
Josh (44:41):
So why now? Why didn't you do it a year ago? Why now? What changed?
Karine Jean-Pierre (44:43):
Again, no I hear you. Again, in my answer to you just moments ago, it's not just us. This is also being done with our G7 counterparts. This is essentially a group effort and that's what you're seeing today.
Josh (44:55):
Okay.
Karine Jean-Pierre (44:55):
I know I have to. Go ahead.
Speaker 3 (44:57):
Thank you Karine. Do you have updates on the American citizens that are being detained in Venezuela? The Maduro government claims one of them is an FBI agent. If you can confirm.
Karine Jean-Pierre (45:07):
So I don't have any updates for you at this time. I certainly would refer you to the State Department. Look, when it comes to Americans being held hostage, wrongfully detained, you have seen from this administration our efforts to make sure that we get Americans home. I think we have shown some success in doing that, and that is going to continue to be our commitment even though we have 9, 10 days left. I don't have an update on this particular individual. I certainly would refer you to the State Department.
Speaker 3 (45:35):
And one more. If we can get a reaction on Indonesia becoming a full member of BRICS. Indonesia is obviously Southeast Asia's largest economy. That could lend credibility to BRICS' ambition to become the alternative to the G7, particularly as we head into the new US administration, which we have a different approach towards multilateral cooperation.
Karine Jean-Pierre (45:57):
So I don't have anything specific to say about this. I would have to refer you to our National Security Council on that particular question. Gary?
Gary (46:07):
Thanks Karine. Meta also reportedly eliminated its DEI programs in hiring, training and picking suppliers, and they cite the Supreme Court ruling in affirmative action. I know you said that you wouldn't comment on business policies, but the administration really went out of its way to sort of convince businesses not to interpret that ruling as anything further than that. Is there a disappointment there that companies like Meta and McDonald's, Walmart are rolling back these DEI policies?
Karine Jean-Pierre (46:38):
So not going to comment on a specific action that a private company takes, but what I can say is that you've heard from this President, you've heard from this administration, diversity is our greatest strength. You have seen this not just by words, by action that this President has taken, and certainly that is a sentiment you've heard echoed by leaders across businesses and government, not just us. And so that continues to be our stance on this. It is important to have different voices around the table. It's important to have different voices working on policy to make sure that we are delivering for the American people, and that's what we have done. That's what we have shown. And as it relates to specific companies, I'm just not going to comment on that policy. But I think by our actions and what you have seen us do over the last four years, our commitment to that, our commitment to making sure communities that are normally left behind have a voice, or don't feel like they don't have access and changing that around, we have done that in many ways, whether it's the economy, whether it is lowering costs on prescription drugs, making sure manufacturing jobs come back, helping for wages to go up. We have done this and shown our commitment to that. Again, I'm not going to speak to any particular company.
Gary (48:04):
One more question.
Karine Jean-Pierre (48:05):
Yeah, sure.
Gary (48:05):
Sure. I recently spoke to Reverend Al Sharpton and he said that he would let the President to issue a pardon for Baltimore County State Attorney Marilyn Mosby and Jesse Jackson Jr. Can we expect to hear an announcement on any high-profile pardon such as these?
Karine Jean-Pierre (48:20):
Yeah, I'm not going to get ahead of the President. He's going to make some more announcements or pardons and commutations. Certainly we've heard from groups out there who have certainly been very vocal about what they think the President should do. The President and his team is working through it. They're trying to figure out the best way forward. Obviously the President believes in Americans who have shown that they can get a second chance to have that second chance, and I think you've seen that this is a president that has been pretty historic in his actions in moving forward with pardons and commutations. I'm not going to get ahead of him. Karen?
Karen (49:01):
Thanks Karine. Does the President expect that President-elect Trump will be here in the morning before the inauguration? Has that invitation been accepted by the President-elect?
Karine Jean-Pierre (49:10):
I would refer to the transition team to speak to what the President-elect is going to do or not do on January 20th.
Karen (49:16):
But he extended the invitation to come here?
Karine Jean-Pierre (49:17):
That is something that is a tradition. So obviously we are going to try to continue that tradition, but I would have to refer it to his transition team. [inaudible 00:49:25]?
Speaker 9 (49:25):
Thanks. I had a few follow up questions on the transition process. Follow up what Karen was asking. It's also a tradition for the President, incoming President to stay at Blair house. Is that an invitation that's been extended?
Karine Jean-Pierre (49:35):
I don't have anything to share on if the President-elect is going to be staying at the Blair House. What I will say is we certainly are trying to continue the traditions here. We want this to be an effective, efficient, peaceful transfer of power. Once we have more to share, certainly would share from our end of things and anything that's related to the President-elect, I would refer you to the transition team.
Speaker 9 (49:58):
And then we've seen some moving trucks out here today. Can you talk about where you guys are physically in the process and have there been any directives? Because I know in the past with the other administrations there's been issues with classified documents and mix-ups I know you guys have said you want to be careful and follow the rules.
Karine Jean-Pierre (50:13):
We are going to do our best, certainly to be careful to follow the rules, to do this the right way, to follow traditions. Obviously, as the President truly wants to do as he showed right after the election, having the President-elect in the Oval Office and putting everything aside and making sure that we were putting the American people first and what they wanted, respecting the results of the election. That's what you've seen from this administration and we have 9, 10 days left and we're trying to run through the tape, do everything that we can and get out of here in time on January 20th. Go ahead.
Speaker 10 (50:53):
Speaking of the days left, Monday the President's going to deliver this capstone speech on foreign policy at the State Department. I just wanted to sort of see what you could share from a preview. Is this sort of a defense of his foreign policy? Is it a warning to allies or advice that he wants to give the incoming administration? How should we kind of view the speech that the President's going to give?
Karine Jean-Pierre (51:13):
Well, as I've stated many times already at the podium as it relates to the pardon commutation, I'm not going to get ahead of the President. And so he wanted to make the speech. There has been some key events obviously that has happened across the globe in his tenure. And this is someone who has been, when it comes to foreign policy, that is something that has been a key pillar of who he is and his career. And let's not forget 50 plus years as a public official, elected official. And so he has some thoughts on the future, not just of the country, but how this country moves forward as a leader when you think about global events, important global issues. And certainly he will lay that out. I don't want to get ahead of him, but you could reassure there are major events happening right now, Russia's war in Ukraine, the Middle East, and Indo-Pacific, many important matters that he's going to certainly lean into, but I don't want to get ahead of the President. All right. Thanks everybody. We'll see you next week.
Crowd (52:29):
Thank you. [inaudible 00:52:32] Karine.