South Lawn

9:29 A.M. EDT
 
Q    Senator Tuberville is not budging on Pentagon promotions.  Senator Tuberville is not budging on Pentagon promotions.
 
Q    Mr. President, was Prigozhin — was Prigozhin looking to capture military leaders?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  He’s not budging on it, as I understand, from my colleagues.  It’s totally inappropriate.  It’s outrageous.
 
Q    But he says the Defense Department should not be paying for abortion travel.  Your response?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  He doesn’t know what he’s talking about. 
 
Q    Was Prigozhin looking to capture military leaders?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  That remains to be seen.
 
Q    President Biden, (inaudible) escalating in Ukraine?  Why not engage with Russia in meaningful talks to try to deescalate the whole situation in Ukraine?  You’re sending F-16s, sir.
 
Q    Mr. President, has Putin been weakened by what happened in Russia?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Absolutely.
 
Q    To what extent has Vladimir Putin been weakened by recent events?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  It’s hard to tell, but he’s clearly losing the war in Iraq [sic].  He’s losing the war at home.  And he has become a bit of a pariah around the world.  And it’s not just NATO; it’s not just the European Union.  It’s Japan.  It’s — it’s — you know, it’s 40 nations.
 
Q    President Biden, how involved — President Biden, how involved were you in your son’s “Chinese shakedown” text message?  Were you sitting there? 
 
Q    Mr. President —
 
Q    Were you involved?  Were you involved?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No, I wasn’t.  And I don’t —
 
Q    Do you think Vladimir Putin is —
 
Q    Were you?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No!
 
Q    Mr. President —
 
Q    Do you think Vladimir Putin is weaker today than he was before all those events?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I know he was — is.
 
Q    Will you give Congress your bank records, President Biden?  Will you give Congress —
 
Q    Is the worst of the inflation over?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Let me put it this way: I’ve been hearing every month there’s going to be a recession next month.  The consensus is: Two thirds of the economists and the major leaders in the banks think we’re not going to have a recession.  I don’t think we will either. 
 
But I tell you one thing: In addition to the — the prices that — going to con- — what a recession constitutes — we’re bringing down prices across the board for people.  That’s what I’m going to be talking about today.
 
Q    A week ago, sir, you said you didn’t know “what the hell Bidenomics is.”  Sir, can you tell us today what it is?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Sure I didn’t, because the first time I heard it used was by you guys in the press.
 
Q    Can you comment on Sweden’s succession in NATO?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  I’d rather not speak to (inaudible) right now.
 
Q    Why no new policy announcement with the branding?  Why no new policy announcements with the branding?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Wha- —
 
Q    With the Bidenomics branding.
 
THE PRESIDENT:  Well, look, you guys branded it.  I didn’t.  That’s — I never called it “Bidenomics.”  And so, I was asked the question: Why did I —
 
Q    Your economic team is calling it “Bidenomics.”
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No, wait.  Let’s get it straight.  The first time it was used was in the Wall Street Journal.  Okay?  I don’t go around beating my chest, “Bidenomics.”  So, the press started calling it “Bidenomics.”
 
Q    Do you not like it, sir?
 
THE PRESIDENT:  No, I like it.  It’s fine.  Yeah, it’s fine, because it is my policy.
 
9:31 A.M. EDT