Press Gaggle by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan En Route Lima, Peru

Aboard Air Force One En Route Lima, Peru

3:40 P.M. EST

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hey, guys. Oh, it smells like crab cake back here.

Q Yes. (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I have a quick thing at the top, and then I'll hand it over to Jake.

So, earlier today, the president announced that Americans have filed more than 20 million new business applications since he and the vice president took office.

Under their leadership, we have had the first-, second-, and third-strongest years of new business applications on - on record and are on track for a fourth.

Business ownership has doubled among Black households and hit a 30-year high for Hispanic households. New business creation rates hit a 30-year high for Asian Americans. And the share of women businesses owners is on the rise.

As the president has said, every new small business is an act of hope, and these new business applications represent 20 million acts of hope by the American people.

The Biden-Harris administration will continue to use every tool available to support the small businesses and entrepreneurs that are powering our economic recovery and his nationwide small-business boom.

With that, as you can see, we have the national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, joining us for the gaggle.

MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, Karine.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yep.

MR. SULLIVAN: And thanks for joining us here on Air Force One en route to Lima, Peru, for the APEC Summit.

I'm sure you all studied very carefully my comments yesterday at the podium, so I'm not going to repeat in great detail all the various pieces of business that we intend to get done here over the next few days at both APEC and the G20, with a stop in the Amazon in between.

I'll just make a few quick points and then open it up for your questions.

First, President Biden enters this APEC Summit with the U.S. in a very strong strategic position in the Asia-Pacific - strong alliances; a strong competitive economic and technological edge; new initiatives in terms of investment, supply chains, trade that are already bearing fruit; the Quad, AUKUS, the Camp David Trilateral, as points on the board that he has put over the course of the past four years.

And so, we're very much looking forward to the opportunity to engage with leaders from across the region as President Biden wraps up his tenure.

Tomorrow, he'll have the opportunity to engage with all of the APEC leaders in a larger plenary session, and then he'll do a trilateral meeting with the president of Korea and the prime minister of Japan. That trilateral will mark the progress that we've made since the Camp David summit, including in the security, technology, supply chain, and other realms.

And also, critically, we'll focus on making sure that we've institutionalized the trilateral so that it will be an enduring feature of American policy in the Indo-Pacific going forward. And given the bipartisan support for it, we fully expect that it would continue under the next administration - though, of course, they'll make their own decisions.

Tomorrow, the president will also have the chance to have a brief meeting with Prime Minister Ishiba of Japan - a bilateral meeting - because the two of them, of course, have not had the chance to meet in person since he became prime minister.

And he will have a meeting with President Boluarte of Peru. And at that meeting, we'll have deliverables in terms of counternarcotics, rail, and space, as well as, you know, the opportunity to mark nearly 200 years of strong bilateral ties between our two countries.

Then we'll roll into the next day: the meeting with President Xi, further meetings at a plenary level with the other APEC leaders. And we'll have more to share on that on the ground when we do further gaggles with you all and with the traveling press corps.

Obviously, that meeting with Xi Jinping will be his final meeting with President Xi as president. It's an important opportunity to mark the progress that we've made in the relationship and also to manage it through this delicate period of transition where we want to maintain a degree of stability, even as we continue to compete vigorously with the PRC. We need to manage that competition so it doesn't veer into conflict.

So, with that, let me open it up for your questions.

Q Just - thanks, Jake - zero in a little bit more on the trilateral tomorrow. Obviously, (inaudible) as you talked about, you're trying to institutionalize this trilateral, but it's also a very tense time with North Korea's ballistic missile testing and also Kursk.

How are you guys look - going into looking at this moment? And is this also now maybe a period, hopefully, of a little bit of quiet with North Korea going past the election? Or - or is the administration still feeling a bit on edge of where we're at?

MR. SULLIVAN: I do not think we can count on a period of quiet with the DPRK. Obviously, they've continued their ballistic missile testing just in recent days and weeks. The possibility of a seventh nuclear test remains ever present. It's something we're vigilant for.

Transitions have historically been time periods when the DPRK has taken provocative actions, both before and after the transition from one president to a new president. So, that's something we are watching very carefully and will be watching every day between now and January 20th.

And obviously, it's a real opportunity for us to consult at the leaders' level both to be prepared for any provocation that may come, whether it be with respect to missile testing or a nuclear test or other provocations. It also will be an opportunity for the three to get a coordinated response to the introduction of DPRK soldiers onto the - or into western Russia.

And obviously, we've consulted at multiple levels of government. I've spoken with my counterpart; Secretary Blinken, Secretary Austin have spoken with theirs. The ROK and Japan have both expressed grave concern about this, just as we have and our European partners have.

But in terms of the tangible coordination and the policy steps that we can take, this will be an opportunity for the three leaders to talk, make sure we're on the same page, and that we're moving out in a coordinated way.

This is a significant development, and we're going to treat it with the seriousness with which it deserves to be treated.

(Cross-talk.)

Q Can I just - can I just hone in - sorry. Can I just hone in on - on that trilat? So, what is the deliverables in terms of actual statements or agreements that will come out of this? Is there anything that involves nuclear deterrence in the region?

MR. SULLIVAN: We obviously have bilateral extended deterrence dialogues with both Japan and Korea, and they have both been elevated to new levels under President Biden, and I would say they're at as robust and intense a level as we've seen in recent decades. So, extended deterrence remains a strong feature of our bilateral relationship.

There will not be any specific announcement on extended deterrence at a trilateral level, but this will be an opportunity for us to ensure that each of these two bilateral dialogues are working to reinforce one another and that there aren't gaps and seams between them. So, it will be part of the agenda tomorrow.

In terms of the deliverables, one of the main things that will come out of tomorrow is the establishment of the secretariat for the trilateral on a going-forward basis so that there is an institutional framework and this isn't just a series of leaders' meetings. It is, in fact, something that has a home in all three governments, and the three governments can cooperate at every level on trilateral collaboration.

So, for example, on trilateral exercises, we've had our first significant trilateral exercise - Freedom's Edge - and now, at this meeting, they'll talk about how to step up trilateral exercises.

We've made progress on technology protection, on supply chain diversification, on missile warning and the sharing of data with respect to missile warning. In all of those areas, we expect to take further steps tomorrow.

Q Jake, can -

Q On the introduction of DPRK troops into Russia. How quickly should we expect to see a response, if you're using tomorrow to coordinate once again? And then, I assume also broaden this to other allies who also have expressed concern?

MR. SULLIVAN: I think it's important to see this not in terms of a single action or day where you would be able to point to it and say, "Aha, that is the response." This is a significant development. It is going to require us to work with our allies and partners to deal with it on an ongoing basis. There will be multiple elements to how we deal with it that will unfold over time.

So, I wouldn't expect to wake up one day and say, "Okay, now we've seen it. We've seen what they're 'doing' - quote, unquote - in response to that."

I think, rather, there will be a coordinated set of policy decisions that we take - diplomatic, in terms of the material provided to Ukraine, and otherwise - that we will work with our allies and partners on. That includes our allies and partners in Europe, and it includes Japan and ROK.

Q And on the - sorry - on the China meeting. Yesterday, you talked about how the new administration, regardless of what they do, obviously, have to manage this relationship. What do you see as the biggest China risk for the incoming administration that they face in 2025?

MR. SULLIVAN: Well, I've talked multiple times about how the most significant risk for the United States and for the world is somehow peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait is disturbed and we end up in conflict there. That would be catastrophic for everyone involved: for Taiwan, for Beijing, for us, for the world.

I wouldn't necessarily say, given how we have managed cross-strait relations, that that should be something that is at, you know, heightened risk in 2025. But because of the size of the risk, even if it's not that likely, it's something that has to be at the top of the agenda.

There are more immediate issues that - where the stakes are high but not quite as high as that. For example, China's continued aggressive activity and behavior in the South China Sea, its coercion and pressure on countries like the Philippines - the incoming administration is going to have to focus on that right out of the gate, just as we've had to focus on that all along.

And then, of course, there's the continuing economic and technology relationship, where the United States is going to have to take steps on an ongoing basis to maintain our competitive edge. Of course, we in the Biden administration have taken a number of those steps, and we're - you know, there are more things that we can do before we leave, but also the new administration is going to have to carry that agenda forward.

Q So, Jake, can I just ask - you've talked a little bit about institutionalizing things, making sure that - at the levels below the two leaders, that things are - are going to continue or you hope they will continue. That's what is normally done in administration - from one administration to the next.

You've got an incoming administration where people like, you know, Elon Musk say they want to cut $2 trillion. You have Pete Hegseth at DOD. You have Matt Gaetz at FBI, saying he's - just want to get rid of the FBI and the ATF.

Like, what - forget about the, you know, presidential level. Do you have any confidence that even, you know, deep down in the bureaucracy, that some of these things that you're putting into place are actually going to continue? Or do you - do you feel like even those things that you're trying to institutionalize are at risk?

MR. SULLIVAN: Let me try to answer that question with an example. My example is the Quad, which was first conceived of in the Bush - the George W. Bush administration. It was then taken forward modestly in the Obama administration, taken forward a bit more in the Trump administration, and then elevated to leaders' level and institutionalized in the Biden administration. So, Obama to Trump to Biden, you see continuity and then acceleration of a critical institutional initiative in the Indo-Pacific.

I use that example because I would put the Camp David Trilateral in a similar category. It's the kind of thing that has strong bipartisan support, that has obvious benefits to the United States, that doesn't involve some massive incremental resource commitment.

So, I do have some measure of confidence that that kind of initiative, properly institutionalized, can endure and be sustained through the next administration and the one beyond that and the one beyond that.

With respect to the wider suite of policy questions that your - your question raised, I can't speak to that. All I can do is look at areas where we believe that we are passing off a strong hand for the United States with our allies and partners and where we want to do everything possible to set them up for success should they choose to carry it forward.

The choice to carry it forward will ultimately be theirs to make.

Q My question was - was really a kind of tricky way to get you to comment on the president - the next president's nominees.

MR. SULLIVAN: Oh.

Q Don't - you don't want to do that?

MR. SULLIVAN: I do not want to do that. No. No, I do not want to do that.

Q Can I ask a - can I ask a China question, Jake? So, Xi Jinping in Peru will also be inaugurating this $1.3 billion megaport that's kind of like a hub for trade connectivity to South America.

We know that, three years ago, President Biden tried to offer his counter to the Chinese Belt and Road Initiative. And since then, it has been scaled down - or maybe you would call it "refocused" - to the two corridors: Luzon and Lobito.

My question is: In these past years, what has the administration learned in terms of what it can and cannot do in terms of competing with China and offering a viable and more healthy development financing?

MR. SULLIVAN: First of all, I think it's just totally wrong to say that the Partnership for Global Infrastructure - PGI - has been scaled down to two corridors. I don't know where you got that from. It's just not-

Q Well, you would say "as a refocus." But, I mean, in terms of actual -

MR. SULLIVAN: Oh, no, no. Or - or refocused. I mean, we've mobilized more than $60 billion, just the U.S. And that's a part of the larger G7. And that's not just been for two corridors. That's been for investments across Africa, Southeast Asia, and Latin America.

So, I - I couldn't more emphatically reject the notion that PGI is now just focused on two corridors. I - I'm not sure why you're proceeding from that premise.

In fact, a lot of that investment is in Latin America, and we will be making announcements when we go to Brazil connected to PGI. And in Peru alone, you mentioned a $1.3 billion port project that China is inaugurating. We've got more than $6 billion in American foreign direct investment in Peru.

So, I think there's an interesting dynamic where every time we fly to South America or Africa, the press writes the story: "China is doing a lot; America is doing a little."

And then you look at the numbers behind it - the total stock of American investment in Latin America and the Caribbean - and you compare that to what China is doing. We are, across our private sector and now backed up by tools like the Development Finance Corporation, investing in a wide range of technology, infrastructure, energy, health, and other projects and are an incredibly important player.

And the free trade agreement between the U.S. and Peru has been a significant job creator in the U.S. and a significant job creator in Peru and will - that will continue to be the case as we go forward.

Q Jake, any progress on Ukraine or Middle East, particularly at the G20, since you've got so many allies and also adversaries there? Or is basically everything on hold until January the 20th with those?

MR. SULLIVAN: I think you'll see continued activity on both of those accounts. Nothing is on hold between now and January 20th.

For example, we're continuing to work on diplomacy relative to Lebanon. We're continuing to seek a hostage deal, even if it's, you know, the first step in a hostage deal. And the president just met with the hostage families yesterday.

You know, obviously, we're continuing to coordinate closely with Israel with respect to the threat posed by Iran and potential response by Iran to Israel's actions from a few weeks ago.

So, on the Middle East, every single day is going to bring continued action, diplomacy, and work on our part right up until the last minute that President Biden is president.

I don't anticipate the G20 is going to be a particularly fruitful venue for that kind of work, at least not at the plenary level. But obviously, in the side conversations with European counterparts, Middle Eastern counterparts, and others, we'll continue to try to drive diplomacy forward.

Similarly, on Ukraine, he will have the chance to see his European colleagues, and he will be talking about next steps on Ukraine, including what we're trying to do to surge military equipment, to allocate all of the resources that Congress has given us, and also to find other ways to strengthen Ukraine so that we hand that account off in the best possible shape to the next administration.

Q Would that include Eur- -

Q (Inaudible.)

Q Would that include Europe doing more for Ukraine?

MR. SULLIVAN: Well, we have watched, over the course of the past two and a half years, Europe stepping up to the plate and sharing the burden in relatively unprecedented ways in modern times, in terms of the amount of resources allocated and the types of contributions - military assistance contributions that they have made.

So, we're going to argue that should continue and that should intensify, because the goal should be to put Ukraine in the strongest possible position on the battlefield so that they have the most possible leverage going into negotiations.

Q The hostage families were at the White House yesterday. Is the overall message to those families that there will be a deal that gets done in the next 60 days, or is it better for them to pivot to working with the Trump administration to getting their loved ones home?

MR. SULLIVAN: What they asked of us and then what they asked publicly is that we start work now with the incoming administration on a coordinated approach so we make maximum use of these 60-plus days so we don't just wait it out or so that we don't work at cross purposes. We've indicated we're prepared to do that.

Q And then -

Q Jake -

Q Sorry, just real quick. The - there's a lot of new leaders that are going to be at APEC, at G20. Biden is an outgoing president. I mean, what do- - how does he plan to really speak with those leaders that he's - he could be meeting for the first time?

MR. SULLIVAN: So, in some cases, it will be an opportunity to make sure that he's taking stock of the health of the relationship.

So, Prime Minister Ishiba is a good example of this. They've spoken on the phone. They haven't met in person. They'll meet for the first time. President Biden will be able to review with Prime Minister Ishiba, really, the historic heights that the U.S.-Japan alliance has reached and then basically say, "This is what I plan to hand off to my successor when he comes in."

With others, you know, it will obviously be an opportunity for him to convey long-standing American positions that don't change much from administration to administration, that didn't change much from the last Trump administration to this one.

And then, in some cases, he'll say, "I don't speak for the incoming administration, so I'm not sure what they're going to do. I can only tell you what I believe in." So, it'll be different kinds of conversations with different folks.

There are a lot of people, though, that he has worked closely with over the last four years at both of these summits, and it will be an opportunity for him to say thank you for great partnership and work together.

And in cases like President Xi Jinping, it will be an opportunity for him to have a capstone on a relationship dating back more than a decade.

Q Jake, response to the explosions in Brazil. Any reaction to that, and has that changed the plans at all for - for this trip?

MR. SULLIVAN: It hasn't changed our plans. Obviously, we are - have expressed our concern and condemnation for any kind of violence. And we've been in touch with Brazilian authorities. They're dealing with the situation. And we look forward to our visit.

Q Jake -

Q Jake - one more, Jake. Human rights - sorry.

Q On - on the hostages and the appointment yesterday - or the nomination - announcement of the nomination of Governor Huckabee, who has said some pretty controversial things about Palestinian people. Does that help the case for you guys to be able to work together with the Trump administration? And does it just generally help the case for releasing hostages when someone like that is being put forward as the next ambassador to Israel?

MR. SULLIVAN: I didn't see the exact comments that you're referring to, so I can't quite comment on it.

But what I will say is we've expressed our willingness to try to come up with a coordinated approach. I would hope that President Trump is committed to getting the hostages out. President Biden certainly is. And so, we ought to be able to work together on it.

But I can't speak to Senator - Governor Huckabee's comments.

Q If I could stay on the Middle East, Jake. So, Human Rights Watch just released a report saying that Israeli officials who have repeatedly displaced and relocated civilians are - and I quote - "committing the war crime of forcible transfer." What is the administration's position on this, considering Israel is well documented to be displacing people over and over again?

MR. SULLIVAN: I have not seen that report, so I can't comment on it.

Q Jake, but what -

Q Do you have any concerns, from a national security perspective, that Elon Musk is joining President-elect Trump's foreign leader calls and is weighing in on foreign policy on behalf of leaders like Putin and Xi Jinping?

MR. SULLIVAN: I don't have any comment about that. I've just seen the reports. But they'll make their own decisions about how they want to engage with foreign leaders.

Q But can I just come back -

Q Do you have any concerns about -

Q Can I just come back on that issue, Jake, about - about forcible transfer, about displacement of Palestinians over and over? What is just the broad administration's view on that?

MR. SULLIVAN: The secretary of state and secretary of defense sent a letter to the Israeli government requesting a series of steps to alleviate the dramatic and terrible human suffering that is unfolding in Gaza as the war continues. They have now received a response from the Israeli government, and they're working back and forth together on that.

The State Department has spoken at some length on the question you just posed, and I'd refer you to them.

Q It was just about Tulsi Gabbard, if I may. Do you have any concerns about intelligence sharing with the int- - incoming administration, given her history of comments about Putin and about Syria? And also, do you think it might - that might be a problem for Five Eyes allies who may be planning to share intelligence and may have concerns about her positions on those things?

MR. SULLIVAN: As far as I'm concerned, our transition is going to unfold on regular order - the regular process of people moving through the nomination process, people moving through the security clearance process. Our intelligence community is doing the briefings.

I am not going to get engaged in that or play a role in that because that is properly the work of the relevant intelligence agencies to do their work. And so, I don't - I don't really have any comment about President's Trump - President Trump's nominees or - or public comments and how they relate to the - you know, to this - this issue of intelligence.

Q Can I just - one more on China. Part of why you guys manage the relationship the way you have is because you have a channel with your counterpart in China. Would you - and that's worked well, I guess you would say. Would you advise your successor, Mike Waltz, to keep that channel going? Or what's sort of your unsolicited advice to the next guy?

MR. SULLIVAN: I hope to have the opportunity, as we go through the handoff, to speak with my successor about the full range of issues on our plate, including how we went about managing the U.S.-China relationship. He'll have his own ideas. The administration will have their own ideas. I'll share my advice, but I'll share it with him privately rather than publicly.

Q Jake, there's a - the Biden administration put a freeze on LNG exports. That's important to a lot of allies that - that the president is going to meet. Will there be any update on that freeze or - or when - when those export licenses might go out (inaudible)?

MR. SULLIVAN: I - that's one you're - you'll have to go to the Department of Energy on because they are working through a process with the study. It was a pause in order to understand fully the implications of continued granting of permits. They've been working through that process, and they will make the determination about how - what the next step is with respect to that study.

Q You mentioned - Jake, you mentioned work together with Peru on anti-trafficking - drug trafficking. Can you confirm that the U.S. will be sending nine Black Hawk helicopters for this effort?

MR. SULLIVAN: I can't confirm that in this gaggle on this plane, but I will have more to report to you tomorrow in and around the bilat.

Okay?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right.

MR. SULLIVAN: Thank you, guys.

Q Thanks, Jake.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thank you, Jake. Thank you. Okay.

Q Can I start?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I feel like - I feel like he did - he did everything. I don't need to do much.

Q Oh, there's more. There's more.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: There's more. Okay. Go ahead.

Q Thank - thank you. On the Matt Gaetz nomination.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q Does the White House just have any general response? And is the president at all concerned, considering some of the things that the congressman has said in the past? Is there a concern that he would weaponize the Justice Department in general but also to go after members of this administration or even members of his family?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, a couple of things. We're going to certainly continue to respect the process, the transition, the handoff. We're going to continue to not - we're not going to comment on every personnel choice or decision that is made by the president-elect and his transition team.

I will say this - and I think you saw by example from this administration the importance of the Department of Justice being independent and especially as it relates to investigations.

And I will also add: The only loyalty we believe - and it should be believed - that the Department of Justice should have is to the Constitution and to the rule of law. There should not be loyalty to any political party. That is not how the Department of Justice should be run.

And so, that is something we've been very, very clear about - very - and I think, also, you can see by this president leading by example and - and continuing to say the Department of Justice should be independent, especially as we talk about investigations. Again, any personnel decision or choice, we're just not going to - to comment on, but we can speak, obviously, as I just did, more broadly.

Q Can I - can I ask you, then, more broadly?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sure. Yeah.

Q The - the president spent so much of the last four years talking about Donald Trump being an existential threat to the - to democracy, to this country, and to everything that the - that - that he and - that he thinks the country believes in.

Yet, since the election, we essentially haven't heard anything from him on that subject. And I wonder, does - is - is he - I guess, should we - should we take from that that he's going to be comfortable leaving the White House not having expressed any thoughts about what he now fears for the country, because - because he wants to respect a - a clean transition and so, therefore -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I'm - I mean -

Q - that's it?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look - and he - when he spoke in the Rose Garden two days after the election -

Q Right. He didn't talk at all about that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, I - I know.

Q Yeah.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Let me - let me -

Q Okay. Sorry. Sorry, sorry, sorry.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Give - give me a second. Give me a second.

One of the things that he said, aside from, you know, your - your part about a peaceful transition of power, but which actually connects it, is that the will of the people. The American people decided. They made a decision on who they wanted the next president to - to be. And we have to respect that. The president understands that we need to respect the will of the people.

And so, this is the time of - any time post-election - right? - especially on the presidential level, like this moment, until the transition, actually, the a- - the official part of where the - where the president - obviously, the president-elect becomes inaugurated on - on January 20th, we have to respect that process. We do.

Q So, just to -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, we do, right? It - it is - it is - this is what the American people deserve. They deserve to have a peaceful transfer of power, an orderly transfer of power, and that is what the president is focused on and that's what he zeroed in on. And - and that's what you're seeing.

It - it is actually - it's - it's quite simple. You know, it is -

Q (Inaudible) from -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: - quite direct.

Q - all of those people -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah?

Q - millions, tens of millions of people who believed, who were supporters of the pres- - of President Biden's -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - and believed him when he said that he thought this would be an existential - that - that America might not continue if Donald Trump was elected -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - they now should believe that, you know, it's whatever, he doesn't really need to say anything about it because -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - because it's more important to respect -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - it - I -

Q - the process?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Wait. Hold on a second. I -

Q Or does he plan -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: First of all -

Q - to talk about it -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Whoa, whoa, whoa. No, no, no -

Q - after he leaves office?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, here's the thing - here's the thing: What the president said, and I've said this many times at the podium, he always believes and feels that the American people are obligated to honesty and the truth. So, everything that he has shared during the last, you know, almost four years about his thoughts about democracy, democracy being a [under] threat still stands. That hasn't changed. So, I just want to be really clear about that.

Q Okay.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What has changed - what has changed is there was an election. There was.

And here's the thing: A transition - an orderly transition of power is part of our democratic principle. It is actually part of continuing -

Q So - so, him talking would make it - him talking about what he believes this means would make it an unorderly or a disorderly transition?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - you know, I - I'm not going to go that - I'm not going to go that far.

Q Okay.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I'm going to say is that we are in a - po- - a - a position or a - a transition or a - a part of the next - I guess the next part of - you know, after an election where the president has been very clear that the American people - the American people deserve a transition of power that is orderly, that is peaceful, and something, obviously, that was not afforded to him four years ago. He wants to lead by example, and that is part of our democratic process. It is. It truly, truly is.

Q Can I ask it -

Q Karine, was the president reassured by the meeting?

(Cross-talk.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Whoa. Whoa. Okay, guys. Okay. (Laughs.)

Q Can I ask it in a different way?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q So, if he still believes it, but right now, he is putting the country over -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Country first.

Q Yes. Does that mean right now he's holding fire until the next president is inaugurated, and then we should expect to hear that -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I -

Q - from President Biden again?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, I'm - I'm not going to get into hypotheticals about post-January. I - I'm not - I'm - I don't, like - right? I - I'm just -

Q I'm just trying, like, make logic -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I'm not even sure what next week is going to look like.

Q - work with -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: But, Jenny, I -

Q - why he thinks that is -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Je- -

Q -but is holding fire -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, here's the thing.

Q - because right now he's -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't even - we - you know how this is. I don't even know what next week is going to look like. It's - we - I'm not going to get into post-January 20th.

What we're focused on and zero - zero in on and laser focused on is making sure that we are coordinated with the transition - the Trump transition, make sure that they have what they need so we can pass over what we've been able to do and give advice to - to an - an incoming administration. That's our focus.

I'm not going to get into what the president is going to do when he's no longer president. He's president right now.

I mean, the American people deserve this. They deserve to make sure that we do this the right way. And you're seeing from this president leadership, and he's leading by actually executing.

Q Was he reassured at all by the meeting yesterday?

Q What was the question?

Q Was he reassured at all?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Was - was he reassured by the meeting.

Look, I - I'm not going to go into any more details than I shared yesterday. It - as you know, it was almost - it was almost two hours. It was gracious. The - the president-elect was gracious. He - it was a cordial conversation. He came with a set of questions that I mentioned yesterday that the pr- - that he and the president went back and forth on. Some were national security pieces, and some were domestic policy pieces.

I'm not going to go beyond that. I think the president-elect spoke for himself on this yesterday, and so - and I think he pretty much echoed what I shared with all of you in the briefing room. And so, I'm just going to leave it there. I don't have any more details to share.

Q Karine?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q The president will come to this summit meeting world leaders who's looking at this on the - you know, the American people electing Donald Trump and then Joe Biden and then Donald Trump again - like some pretty extreme swings of ideology and priorities.

Meanwhile, Xi Jinping is coming in, and he's projecting this image of stability - right? - and his vision of China's role in the global world order. What would the president say to - to those leaders who are saying that, "Well, we just can't hold U.S. commitment"?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, I think Jake was asked this question multiple times yesterday and - and ha- - did a pretty good laydown, as the national security advisor, about how the president - about where we are and how the president engages with world leaders.

And I think it's just going to be a continuation of that: focusing on the moment, focusing on the - whatever 60-odd days that we have, continuing the progress that we've made in almost four years, continuing to talk about how we're going to strengthen those alliances with partners and also continued shared interest.

And so, there's going to be a lot on the agenda. We'll have a lot more to share. I know there's going to be more gaggles at - when we're on the ground in both countries, as we move forward with this trip. And so, we'll have more to share and more of a readout from different conversations, and - and certainly, you know, what came out of the - the meetings when we get there.

I don't want to get ahead of that. But the president truly believes it's important to have these leader-to-leader engagements. You see how effective that has been over the past almost four years. And so, he's going to give that encouragement, give that assurance.

And we really can't speak to what the next administration is going to do. We can't. You know, what we can do is - and Jake talked about this - is have the conversation, have the dialogue, engage with them, give our opinions and thoughts, and we'll see what happens.

Q And if I can ask for an explanation. A couple of days ago, the president was asked whether he is confident that he could reach a ceasefire before the end of his term, and he gave a somewhat flippant answer. If you can explain what he meant by that - why did he respond the way he did? Was he offended by the question?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I think - I think the president - if you - if you know this president and followed this president, obviously, as many of you have - if not for the past couple of years, certainly throughout his career - you know, he's taken this issue very seriously. And when we say that we've worked on getting a ceasefire, we've worked on wanting to not escalate what's happened in the Middle East, you know, having those diplomatic conversations, for example, with what's going on in Lebanon. He takes this all very seriously. And -

Q So, was he offended by the question?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - look, I - I - honestly, I can't even speak to that - how he felt about the question - because I haven't talked to him, so I can't make a judgment on that.

What I can say is this is a president who takes - it doesn't matter if it's diplo- - domestic issues or foreign policy issues, he takes this very seriously. And when it comes to a ceasefire, making sure that we get the hostages home. Remember, we have American hostages as well who are there. We want to make sure we get them home.

Q So, why does - why does -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We're working on this 24/7.

Q - taking it seriously lead to a joke about somebody being hit in the head by a -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I mean, honestly -

Q - camera?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: - I mean, Michael, I just kind of answered this. I - I didn't talk to him about it. So, I can't - I - I -

Q But, Karine, you -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have eno- - I can't speak to what the president meant about it. What I can tell you is he is deeply committed to making sure that we get the hostages home, to making sure that we get to a ceasefire, to making sure that the Palestinian people, who are suffering in Gaza, get the ho- - get the - get the humanitarian aid that they need.

And so, I can't - I have not spoken to him, so I can't speak to it directly.

Q I know you haven't spoken to him.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q But, I mean, you know the president -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I do.

Q - and you know his mood. So -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I do, but I -

Q - was he frustrated by the lack of progress?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You're - it doesn't matter how many times you ask me this question, I'm going to give you the same answer. The president is committed to getting a ceasefire deal, and he takes this very personally as well and takes this, obviously, very seriously. And I'm just going to leave it there.

Q What did -

Q Go ahead. Go ahead, (inaudible).

Q Earlier you mentioned - I didn't hear Patsy's question; hard to hear from this corner - the - Biden wants to engage with leaders. He is not choosing to engage with the press. There is no press conference on either leg of this trip. I- - he has a matter of days left. I mean, what - what was the issue with -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, not days. What - 60 - 60-some-odd days.

Q Sure.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: But you make it sound like we're out of here next week. (Laughs.)

Q Less than a hundred.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Less - okay, that's better. Less than a hundred days.

Look, the president is very much looking forward to his - this historic trip. He often - regularly takes questions from all of you, and he is going to continue to engage with the press.

And so, what I would say is stay tuned. He will continue to do that. And I just don't have anything beyond that.

Q (Inaudible) these press conferences - post-election press conferences in most administrations has been sort of a set piece. Does that say something about where his head is at, that he's not in a pl- - in a place -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, as - as your colleague said -

Q - where he can engage with us?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: - we have less than a hundred days left. So -

Q Right, right, right. But we - we typically have these -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We have - we have time.

Q There is - I - I understand that calendar, but we - it's now - what? - 10 days now we're past the election?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Hold on a second.

Q Typically - typically presidents do engage

with the press -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: It - it didn't happen with the -

Q With Trump.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: With Trump. And I don't believe it -

Q But when - when -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't -

Q Obama did within days with George Bush.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: He - he held a - he held a - a - well, okay. I'm not going to go back and forth on that. But he continued - he will continue to engage with the press. He respects and understands the - obviously, the importance of the work that you all do, especially as it relates to communicating and - and communicating directly with the American people.

I just don't have anything more to share. And he'll continue - he will continue to engage with the press. I don't have anything beyond that.

Q But can you commit that he will speak to us during - during -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. I - I - (laughs).

Q I mean, Karine - Karine, this is a long and expensive trip for our outlets. We would -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I understand that. I get that. I'm just saying that he is going to continue to engage with the press. I don't have anything beyond that to say. He will continue to engage with you. He respects and understands the important role that you all have, and we will continue to do that.

You're trying to lock me into something. I'm just not going to lock - get locked into anything. I'm just going to tell you to - continue to say he will engage with the press, and he enjoys doing that.

All right.

Q Can I - did the Trump meeting accelerate some of the formal parts of the transition process? I understand their - the MOU hasn't been signed yet. Has that -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q Has that accelerated some of the technical parts?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, we believe that it's going to happen. And I've said this many times before. The co-chairs of the Trump transition said that they're going to sign the MOUs. I would refer you to the - to the Trump transition about that.

We want to get this going. We - we are - I mean, it doesn't stop. I know we - we've talked about the MOUs. You all have asked me about that. And obviously, that's important to get that done. But it doesn't stop what has been happening.

Yesterday, a conversation between the - the two presidents. Our teams are continuing to talk and have had, I - I think, important conversations on - as it relates to transition.

And I would relate y- - refer you, pardon me, to - to the Trump - Trump team about the MOUs.

Q Karine -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - on the Amazon part of the trip. Obviously, in many areas, you can say you don't know what the next administration will do, but on climate, they have been kind of clear. They do- - you know, they want to dismantle basically everything you've done on climate. So, how does that cloud the president's trip down there and any deliverables that will come out of it that could literally be ripped up in 60, 70 days again?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I don't think it clouds his trip. He's very much looking forward to going to the Amazon. It's a historic trip, obviously, for a president to make.

We certainly will have more on the deliverables and what that's going to look like. I think we put out a fact sheet this morning on - on that, specifically.

Look, we are going to do everything that we can to make this transition work in a way that it should on behalf of the American people.

The Trump administration, when they come in on January 20th, they're going to do what they believe is - what they believe is - is the way forward.

And what w- - we can speak to is what we're going to continue to do right now, in this moment, as the president is president, on behalf of the American people. That's our commitment. That's what we're going to be focused on.

And outside of that, I just don't have anything else to share.

Q Well, you kind of know that it's not lasting, whatever will be announced right now.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I'm not going to get ahead of what - what the Trump administration is going to do or not do. I'm just not going to get ahead of that.

Q Can you speak to the president's mood at all? G- - sorry.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, it's okay. It's okay, Danny. Go ahead.

Q Can you speak to the president's mood at all going into this meeting?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q You know, I mean, it's - he was - would have hoped to go - be going down there with a, you know, Kamala Harris election victory under his belt. Now he's not. A sense of sadness, regret? What -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, we have not hid this. Right? We've been very clear. Like, we did not get the results that we wanted. I mean, that is just an honest answer.

And - and I know that it's very disappointing for many people out there, and it is disappointing. But we also are going to respect the will of the people. I mean, that is not just a line that I'm throwing out there. That is something that we're actively trying to do and respect that. That is certainly part of the democratic process - is what we're trying to do here in this transition.

And he's very much looking forward - he's very much looking forward to this trip. It'll be his last G20 he's g- - obviously, in - in Brazil - and get to see some of the world leaders that he has worked with not just for the last almost four years, but some of them he has known for some time. And there'll be, obviously, the APEC in Peru. And he's going to do this historic stop - as I was going back and forth with Jenny on - in the Amazon.

And so, I think this is going to be a - a important trip, a good trip for the president. He and - and you guys will get to - to see him engage, as he normally does when he does these trips. And I think it's - I think - you know, I think there'll be some - I think we'll have more to share. I'll s- - I'll leave it there. We'll have more to share on what comes out of it.

Q Can I ask on one of the initiatives that Brazil -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, you cannot ask any more questions, Patsy. (Laughs.)

Q Karine - Karine, it's the same - it's

the same line of questioning that Jenny asked -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay.

Q - in terms of commitment. Right?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q Like, one of the things that - that the president will attend is this global alliance for -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - to fight hunger and poverty -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - by Brazil, which is a key, important G20 initiative.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yes, it is.

Q So, what can the U.S. commit that will, you know, have durability?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We'll have more to share on that. You're right, it is a key initiative and is important. It's so- - it's a initiative that we certainly have lead on on the global stage, and we'll have more to share. We'll have more to share -

Q Thank you, Karine.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: - what comes out of that.

Thanks, guys.

Q Thanks, Karine.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thanks, everybody.

4:25 P.M. EST

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