Let's dive into a moment that caught many off guard at the recent G-7 Summit. President Joe Biden found himself in a bit of a tense exchange with a reporter during a rare press conference on Thursday. The issue? The reporter asked a question about the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas, which wasn’t the topic Biden was focused on.
Now, picture this: Biden was already dealing with a whirlwind of meetings with world leaders in Italy, and there were several video clips circulating that showed him looking a bit confused in some situations. Amidst this backdrop, during a press conference, a reporter piped up with a question. "… about what more, if anything, the U.S. could do to drive toward a peace agreement. Thank you."
Biden’s response? He wasn’t too happy. "I wish you guys would play by the — by the rules a little bit," he said, clearly annoyed. You see, Biden was there to talk about the critical situation in Ukraine, particularly the war between Ukraine and Russia, and what the U.S. and its allies should do next.
Biden holds a VERY RARE, highly scripted "press conference" — then scolds the press for asking him a question: "I wish you guys would play by the rules a little bit"
ATTACK ON THE FREE PRESS! DEMOCRACY DIES IN DARKNESS! DISGUSTING! pic.twitter.com/RX6RRA0h9S
— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) June 13, 2024
He went on, trying to steer the conversation back on track. "I’m here to talk about a critical situation in Ukraine, and you asked me another subject. How ’bout — I’ll be happy to answer in detail later," he said. But he didn’t leave it at that.
He provided a brief update on the Israel and Hamas situation, mentioning that an agreement had been made and endorsed by various key players like the U.N. Security Council, the G-7, and Israel. The sticking point? Hamas's refusal to sign on, even though they have something similar in place.
Biden’s frustration was palpable, but he assured everyone that efforts would continue. "Whether [unintelligible] comes to fruition remains to be seen, we’re going to continue to push," he added. "I don’t have a final answer for you."
So, what’s the takeaway? Biden was laser-focused on the Ukraine crisis during the G-7 Summit and was visibly annoyed when the conversation veered off course. But he didn’t shy away from addressing the Israel-Hamas conflict briefly, highlighting ongoing challenges and the administration’s commitment to pushing for solutions.