Administration of Joseph R. Biden, Jr., 2023

January 31, 2023

COVIDâ19 Pandemic

Q. What's behind the decision to end the COVID emergency, Mr. President?

The President. What did you say?

Q. What's behind your decision to end the COVID emergency?

The President. The COVID emergency will end when the Supreme Court ends it. We've extended it to May the 15th to make sure we get everything done. That's all. There's nothing behind it at all.

Q. Are you going to sit down with the Special Counsel? Will you sit down with the Special Counsel?

[*At this point, the President addressed a different reporter as follows.*] *The President. *Yes.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy of Ukraine

Q. Have you spoken with Zelenskyy recently? And what are you going to tell him about his further requests?

The President. We're going to talk.

Speaker of the House of Representatives Kevin O. McCarthy

Q. Will you negotiate with Speaker McCarthy?

The President. Show me his budget.

Q. [Inaudible]

The President. Show me his budget!

NOTE: The President spoke at 10:08 a.m. on the South Lawn at the White House prior to boarding Marine One. A reporter referred to former U.S. Attorney for the District of Maryland Robert K. Hur, who was named by Attorney General Merrick B. Garland as Special Counsel to investigate whether the President improperly handled classified documents found in his private office and residence. A portion of these remarks could not be verified because the audio was incomplete.

Categories: Interviews With the News Media : Exchanges with reporters, White House. Locations: Washington, DC.

Names: McCarthy, Kevin O.; Zelenskyy, Volodymyr.

Subjects: COVIDâ19 pandemic; News media, Presidential interviews; Speaker of the House of Representatives; Ukraine, President.

DCPD Number: DCPD202300068.

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