White House Defends Biden’s Decision not to Hold Year-End Press Conference

The White House on Thursday defended President Joe Biden’s decision not to hold an end-of-year press conference, saying he talked to reporters “yesterday.”

Biden’s last press conference was a bilateral gaggle with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy on Dec. 12.

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre was pressed about whether Biden didn’t want to face the press to defend his record.

“I think anytime the president travels and is in front of the American people, he does that. He did that in Wisconsin, where he talked about Bidenomics,” Jean-Pierre said Thursday. “He talked about small businesses and how that’s a pillar of Bidenomics and investing in America. So you heard him do that directly to the American people.”

Jean-Pierre was pressed again on it, given that Biden had only one event, a phone call, on his Thursday schedule. Why couldn’t he “make time” for a year-ender?

“He made time yesterday to talk to the press yesterday. He did,” Jean-Pierre said. “He talked to them. We made time to make sure that he gave a statement about what was happening in Venezuela, about the hostage exchange, the swap that you all saw that was very successful, a time to do that. He stood in front of the press pool, in front of me, and made that statement and took some questions.”

Not talking to the press is an ongoing theme with Biden, who is holding the fewest amount of press conferences since Ronald Reagan. Biden is averaging 11.3 per year, the least by far since Reagan’s 5.75 over eight years, according to The American Presidency Project. Biden’s numbers are through Nov. 20.

George H.W. Bush held an average of 35.5 per year, the most since Reagan. Donald Trump held 22.0 per year and Barack Obama an average of 20.38 over eight years.