John Kirby on White House lid after 9 Americans reportedly killed: Biden is working
White House coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council John Kirby tells ‘The Story’ that they do not know how many hostages are missing in Israel and cannot ‘independently verify’ that Americans are among them.
A top Biden administration official was pressed Monday on the president's recent public claim that global warming is the sole existential threat to humanity, as the Palestinian group Hamas orchestrated militant attacks and kidnappings in Israel.
On "The Story," anchor Martha MacCallum cited continued American financial support for Ukraine following its invasion by Russia, and longtime aid for Israel before queuing up a clip of President Biden speaking during his visit to Hanoi, Vietnam last month for John Kirby, the National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications.
"The only existential threat humanity faces – even more frightening than a nuclear war – is global warming; going above 1.5 degrees in the next 10 years," Biden said.
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MacCallum asked Kirby if Biden stands by his comments:
"Absolutely he does," he replied. "Climate change is an existential threat. It actually threatens and is capable of wiping out all human life on earth over time."
Kirby added that addressing that threat doesn't mean the U.S. cannot fulfill its other national security obligations.
"The president believes wholeheartedly that climate change is an existential threat to all of human life on the planet. That's just science… But it doesn't mean that we turn our back on the other challenges facing this country and our allies and partners around the world," he said.
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The United States is a sizable enough world power that it can confront multiple challenges at once, he added.
Kirby was also asked about Biden's early lunchtime ‘lid,' which signifies to the press that there are no further public appearances scheduled for the day. He said the announcement did not preclude any business Biden is conducting outside the press' eye.
"A lid means that he doesn't have any more public-facing events. It doesn't mean that the president is not working, and he absolutely is working," he said.
"He had another update this morning with his national security team. He stayed updated throughout the day. He's going to be talking to foreign leaders later this afternoon. There'll be a public component to that in terms of at least making it clear what that conversation was like and what the details of it."
Biden remains at the White House, the retired admiral said, reiterating that a press lid can be lifted at any time.
The president was ripped by Republicans over the weekend as the White House hosted a barbecue event amid the turmoil in Gaza and Israel.
"While Hamas holds Americans hostage, Joe Biden is enjoying a picnic…" Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., fumed on X, formerly Twitter.
Of the reports of nine Americans held hostage by the Palestinian group, Kirby said the administration cannot independently verify that U.S. citizens are among those kidnapped.
"We are in constant touch with Israeli officials right now to try to get a sense of the whereabouts of all the unaccounted for Americans, because who knows where they are or what condition they're in," he said.
"We want to make sure we get more detailed information on that."
He also responded to criticism of the $6 billion in unfrozen assets earmarked for humanitarian purposes in Iran, as opponents said it can or will be used by the Raisi regime to fund endeavors like Hamas and other malign activity throughout the region.
Kirby said no funds have gone into Iran yet, and that Tehran will never actually see the money but can only use it for certain purposes.
"They never get to touch it or feel it or spend it. It goes to approved vendors that we approve to get in medical supplies and food and water to the Iranian people," he said, while adding that the Biden administration won't hesitate to re-freeze the assets if need be.
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