Biden to Hold First Official Press Conference on 25th... Criticism Arises Over Delay Compared to Predecessor

First Press Conference Just Over 60 Days After Inauguration... Emphasizing Vaccine Achievements
Trump Also Held One After 27 Days... Criticism for Being Too Late

[Image source=AP Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Hyunwoo Lee] U.S. President Joe Biden is set to hold his first official press conference on the 25th (local time), the White House announced, drawing attention to the success or failure of the event. President Biden is expected to emphasize domestic politics, particularly the achievements in COVID-19 vaccination and cash support through economic stimulus plans during the press conference. However, there are concerns that gaffes or unexpected questions could negatively impact public opinion. Previously, there was criticism within the U.S. that President Biden held his official press conference much later than his predecessors.

According to foreign media such as CNN on the 16th, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki stated during a briefing that "President Biden will hold his first official press conference on the afternoon of the 25th." This will be about 60 days after Biden’s inauguration. It is anticipated that President Biden will highlight his first achievements, such as surpassing 100 million COVID-19 vaccinations and the economic stimulus bill, to promote his accomplishments.

The Washington Post (WP) reported that most White House aides view the press conference as a high-risk event that could worsen public opinion. WP conveyed that aides are concerned that unexpected questions during the press conference could capture public attention in ways that diverge from the president’s intentions, and that gaffes could lead to worse outcomes than not holding the event at all. Notably, Biden has caused controversy several times with gaffes during speeches since his presidential campaign, and former President Donald Trump politically exploited these mistakes.

For these reasons, there has been criticism that the press conference was postponed due to the aides’ objections. Conservative-leaning media such as Fox News and other U.S. outlets have pointed out that Biden’s official press conference has been delayed excessively compared to previous presidents. Fox News particularly criticized the delay by comparing it to former President Donald Trump, who held his first official press conference 27 days after inauguration, Barack Obama at 20 days, and George W. Bush at 33 days.

So far, President Biden has not conducted many interviews since his inauguration. He started with an interview with the popular magazine People, followed by an interview with CBS, and a town hall event hosted by CNN where he answered citizens’ questions.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.