President Biden’s public schedule for *Friday 05/19/2023:
*Schedule note–President Biden is overseas all times are D.C., times, not his current location times.*
| 12:30 AM G7 leaders Lunch | The President participates in a working lunch with G7 leaders Restricted Out-of-Town Pool Spray |
| 2:30 AM G7 Summit | The President participates in a G7 Summit working session on Ukraine Closed Press |
| 4:55 AM Travel | The President departs Hiroshima, Japan en route to Miyajima Island, Japan Out-of-Town Pool |
| 5:20 AM Travel | The President departs Miyajima Island Landing Zone en route to Itsukushima Shrine Out-of-Town Pool |
| 5:35 AM Itsukushima Shrine Tour | The President tours Itsukushima Shrine with G7 leaders Closed Press |
| 5:45 AM G7 Group Photo | The President participates in a group photo with G7 leaders at the Itsukushima Shrine Restricted Out-of-Town Pool |
| 6:00 AM G7 leaders Dinner | The President participates in a working dinner with G7 leaders Restricted Out-of-Town Pool Spray |
| 8:40 AM Travel | The President departs Miyajima Island, Japan en route to Hiroshima, Japan Out-of-Town Pool |
| 9:00 AM | The President arrives in Hiroshima, Japan Out-of-Town Pool |
G7 Summit Japan Tweets
From Thursday…
Remarks by President Biden and Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan Before Bilateral Meeting (05/18/2023).
The video clip is 44 seconds long.
President Biden:
Well, Mr.
President[Prime Minister], it’s wonderful to see you again and here in your own hometown. The — and thank you for hosting the G7 Summit here.Under Japan’s leadership, we’ve already delivered progress on the G7 agenda this year. And I’m looking forward to our meetings in the days ahead.
As you said back in January when you were at the White House, I think the quote is: We face the most — one of the most complex environments in recent history — security environments. And I couldn’t agree with you more.
But I’m proud that the United States and Japan are facing it together. And, you know, we stand up for the shared values, including supporting the brave people of Ukraine as they defend their sovereign territory and holding Russia accountable for its brutal aggression.
And we’re tracking the global challenges — from strengthening our community and our commitment to nuclear nonproliferation, to ensuring a free and open Indo-Pacific. That’s at the heart of all this.
And, you know, we’re — it seems to me we’re — we’re deepening our cooperation on emerging technologies, including — including new partnerships between the United States and Japanese companies and, as you mentioned, universities as well in area- — in areas like quantum computing and semiconductors. And I want to thank you for Japan’s commitment to increase investment in these areas.
The bottom line, Mr. Prime Minister, is that when our countries stand together, we stand stronger. And I believe the whole world is safer when we do.
So, thank you again for having me here today. And we look forward to the next several days.
White House.gov. 05/18/2023.
From the White House…
Background Press Call Previewing Day One of the G7 Summit (05/18/2023):
SENIOR ADMINISTRATION OFFICIAL:
Thanks, everyone, for joining. Again, apologies for starting late. And good evening.
I wanted to start off by taking a quick step back and reiterating our main goals out of the G7 this year.
Of course, since President Biden took office, revitalizing our alliances and partnerships and reestablishing America’s leadership around the world has been one of his top priorities.
And thanks in no small part to his hard work, you will see this on display during the G7 Summit in Hiroshima over the next couple of days. You will see on display that the G7 is, really, you know, more united now than ever.
This is true, of course, when it comes to our support for Ukraine, as the whole world has seen since the beginning of Russia’s brutal invasion. But it’s also true in a range of other issues: how we’re approaching the PRC, how we’re protecting economic security, how we’re taking steps to address the climate crisis and accelerate the clean energy transition, and how we’re providing an affirmative agenda for the developing world.
You will see that unfold day by day here in Hiroshima.
Zeroing in on tomorrow, we have a packed agenda, so I’m going to start and really kind of dive deep on what we have on deck just over the next 24 hours.
One of the main areas of focus tomorrow will be showing our shared and continuing support for Ukraine.
Over the last 15 months, since Russia’s brutal invasion began, the G7 has stood in solidarity with Ukraine.
Tomorrow, you will hear a powerful statement of unity, strength, and commitment in our response to Russia’s war of aggression.
We have taken an array of actions to hold Russia accountable. In coordination with our G7 partners, we’ve put in place the largest set of sanctions and export control actions ever imposed on a major economy.
This is quite a feat, and I’d also remind folks that it was just a little less than a year ago, at the G7 Summit in Elmau last June, that leaders agreed to pursue a policy to cap the price on Russian oil and petroleum products.
And over the last six months, since that policy was implemented under the guidance the leaders provided in Elmau, we successfully implemented this policy. It’s achieving its goals, our goals of limiting Russian revenue while also promoting stability in global energy markets. It’s also driving steep discounts, benefiting low- and middle-income countries that consume oil and energy products.
We remain committed to upholding the price cap. That includes effective monitoring and enforcement, while also avoiding spillover effects and maintaining global energy security.
Our commitment to continue tightening the screws on Russia remains as strong as it was last year. And so I think tomorrow you will see new steps taken to economically isolate Russia and to weaken its ability to wage war.
We’re — specifically you’ll see additional commitments in the Ukraine statement to this effect. You’ll see, one, some significant efforts to further disrupt Russia’s ability to source inputs for its war. Two, you’ll see efforts to close evasion loopholes. Three, you’ll see further steps to reduce reliance on Russian energy. Four, you’ll see continued efforts to squeeze Russia’s access to the international financial system. And, five, you’ll see an ongoing commitment to keep Russia’s sovereign assets immobilized until the end of the war.
There will be actions to back up those principles that will be articulated in the Ukraine statement. All G7 members are preparing to implement new sanctions and export controls. I won’t get into the specifics of what partners are doing, but the United States will be rolling out a substantial package of our own.
So, bottom line is: We’re upping the economic pressure on Russia.
We will continue to expand export controls to make it even harder for Russia to sustain its war machine. Among other things, this involves extensively restricting categories of goods key to the battlefield, and also cutting off roughly 70 entities from Russia and third countries from receiving U.S. exports by adding them to the Commerce blacklist.
Moreover, we will announce upwards of 300 new sanctions against individuals, entities, vessels, and aircraft. These will go after circumvention. These will go after financial facilitators, as well as future energy and extractive capabilities of Russia and other actors helping to support the war. This will include designations across Europe, the Middle East, and Asia.
We’ll also expand our sanctions authorities to additional sectors of the Russian economy key to its military-industrial complex and impose new bans to prevent Russia from benefiting from our services.
As part of all of these efforts, you will see us take significant steps to align our actions even more closely with the ones imposed by the EU and the UK to ensure that, as the G7, we remain as coordinated as possible in our response to their bru- — to Russia’s brutal actions.
Just one more important note before we move to your questions. President Biden and the other leaders are here in Hiroshima to participate in the G7, but tomorrow Prime Minister Kishida will take them to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park and Museum. They will pay their respects to the people who lost their lives in this city 78 years ago.
And tomorrow, President Biden will also reaffirm the U.S.’s commitment to a nucle- — to nuclear nonproliferation, as reflected in the sessions here in Hiroshima.
White House.gov. 05/18/2023.
G7 Leaders’ Statement on Ukraine (05/19/2023):
1. Preamble
At our meeting today in Hiroshima, we, the Leaders of the G7, reaffirmed our commitment to stand together against Russia’s illegal, unjustifiable, and unprovoked war of aggression against Ukraine. We condemn, in the strongest terms, Russia’s manifest violation of the Charter of the United Nations (UN) and the impact of Russia’s war on the rest of the world. 15 months of Russia’s aggression has cost thousands of lives, inflicted immense suffering on the people of Ukraine, and imperiled access to food and energy for many of the world’s most vulnerable people. We express our full sympathy and condolences to the Ukrainian people for their loss and suffering. We salute the Ukrainian people for their brave resistance. Our support for Ukraine will not waver. We will not tire in our commitment to mitigate the impact of Russia’s illegal actions on the rest of the world.
Today we are taking new steps to ensure that Russia’s illegal aggression against the sovereign state of Ukraine fails and to support the Ukrainian people in their quest for a just peace rooted in respect for international law. We are renewing our commitment to provide the financial, humanitarian, military and diplomatic support Ukraine requires for as long as it takes. We are imposing further sanctions and measures to increase the costs to Russia and those who are supporting its war effort. And we are taking steps to support partners worldwide as they navigate the suffering caused by the Russia’s war, including through humanitarian assistance. We are also building on the success of our efforts to ensure that Russia is no longer able to weaponize the availability of energy against us and against the world. Since February 2022, we have adopted sanctions, import bans, and other measures to reduce our dependence on Russia’s source of energy. In addition, in Elmau, we agreed to launch a price cap on Russian oil and petroleum products. This is working. Russia’s revenues are down. Global oil and gas prices have fallen significantly, benefiting countries around the world.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
2. Towards a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine
We urge Russia to stop its ongoing aggression and immediately, completely and unconditionally withdraw its troops and military equipment from the entire internationally recognized territory of Ukraine. Russia started this war and can end this war. Russia’s aggression against Ukraine constitutes a violation of international law, in particular the UN Charter. We reiterate our firm rejection of Russia’s illegal attempts to acquire Ukrainian territory by force. We underline that a just peace cannot be realized without the complete and unconditional withdrawal of Russian troops and military equipment, and this must be included in any call for peace.
Russia’s irresponsible nuclear rhetoric, undermining of arms control regimes, and stated intent to deploy nuclear weapons in Belarus are dangerous and unacceptable. We recall the statement in Bali of all G20 leaders, including Russia. In this context, we reiterate our position that threats by Russia of nuclear weapon use, let alone any use of nuclear weapons by Russia, in the context of its aggression against Ukraine are inadmissible.
We once again recall the UN General Assembly resolution A/RES/ES-11/6 titled “Principles of the Charter of the United Nations underlying a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine” adopted in February this year with the broad support of the international community, and will continue to pursue concrete efforts to achieve a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine. We remain committed to diplomacy and welcome and support the earnest efforts by Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in setting out basic principles in his Peace Formula in line with the UN Charter. With a view to a viable post-war peace settlement, we remain ready to reach arrangements together with Ukraine as well as interested countries and institutions on sustained security and other commitments to help Ukraine defend itself, secure its free and democratic future, and deter future Russian aggression. We are determined to help Ukraine build a positive future for its people. We welcome the key role that Ukraine plays in the European Political Community.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
3. Nuclear safety and security
We express our gravest concern over Russia’s grossly irresponsible seizure and militarization of the Zaporizhzhya Nuclear Power Plant (ZNPP). We support the International Atomic Energy Agency’s (IAEA) efforts to strengthen nuclear safety and security of, and the application of safeguards to, nuclear material and facilities in Ukraine, including through the continuous presence of IAEA experts and its focus on ensuring nuclear safety and security at the site. We reaffirm support for the IAEA Director General’s “Seven Indispensable Pillars of Nuclear Safety and Nuclear Security” and highlight the importance of ensuring and promoting the safety and security of nuclear facilities under any circumstances. In this context, we highlight the G7’s contribution to the IAEA’s efforts in Ukraine for this purpose and call on others to provide support.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
4. Support to stop Russia’s war of aggression
We commit to continuing our security assistance to Ukraine as it defends itself against Russia’s aggression, tailoring our support to Ukraine’s needs. We stress the importance of the Ukraine Defense Contact Group in coordinating military and defense assistance by each country provided in line with its national circumstances.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
5. Support for recovery and reconstruction of Ukraine
We reaffirm our strong commitment to ensuring that Ukraine has the economic support it needs. Under the leadership of Japan’s G7 Presidency, together with the international community, we have ensured Ukraine has the budget support it needs for 2023 and early 2024. We welcome the approval of the International Monetary Fund’s (IMF) Extended Fund Facility (EFF) and look forward to the swift implementation of Ukraine’s reforms supported by the program. The program will help to stabilize Ukraine’s macroeconomic and financial situation, contribute to longer-term economic sustainability, and help to catalyze further financial support from other countries and institutions as well as the private sector.
We welcome the progress made in discussions in the Multi-agency Donor Coordination Platform for Ukraine and reaffirm our intention to further coordinate with Ukraine, partner countries and relevant international organizations. We are committed to addressing Ukraine’s recovery needs. We will continue our joint effort to support Ukraine’s repair of its critical infrastructure, recovery and reconstruction. We are determined to use the Platform as our primary mechanism to ensure that our assistance and support for reforms are well coordinated, properly sequenced, and mutually reinforcing. It will play a central role in coordinating donor support to match Ukrainian needs, advancing Ukraine’s reform agenda in line with its European path and helping to promote sustainable private sector-led growth. We also welcome the efforts of the G7+ Foreign Ministers’ Meeting on Ukraine Energy Sector Support and reiterate our continued support for restoring and upgrading Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. We stand ready to support the sustainable and resilient recovery and green reconstruction of Ukraine, including by sharing our experience, knowledge and expertise regarding humanitarian de-mining and war-related debris and pollution management.
We recognize the importance of the role of the private sector for Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction, including through trade and investment, which may be facilitated through insurance and other tools to manage risk. In this regard, we welcome efforts by the World Bank Group, the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD), the European Investment Bank (EIB), and our Development Finance Institutions (DFIs) in accordance with their mandates. These efforts include the establishment of the Support for Ukraine’s Reconstruction and Economy (SURE) Trust Fund at the Multilateral Investment Guarantee Agency (MIGA) as well as the launch of the Ukraine Investment Platform in Tokyo on May 12 to support Ukraine and affected countries more broadly, through further efficient co-financing and greater collaboration among the DFIs, together with the EBRD. We expect the Ukraine Recovery Conference, which will be held in London in June this year, to reinforce momentum behind Ukraine’s recovery and reconstruction.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
6. Anti-corruption and justice system reform
We welcome the continued determination and efforts of the Ukrainian government and people to combat corruption, and encourage continued implementation of an effective reform agenda that will support good governance and improve investor confidence. We support Ukraine’s efforts to advance necessary institution-building as well as substantive legal reform in line with Ukraine’s European path, especially in the judicial sector and promotion of the rule of law.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
7. Sanctions and other measures
We remain united in imposing coordinated sanctions and other economic actions to further undermine Russia’s capacity to wage its illegal aggression. Specifically, we are taking the following measures, consistent with our respective legal authorities and processes and international law:
We will further restrict Russia’s access to our economies. Building on previous measures taken to prevent Russia from accessing inputs in support of sectors key to its military industrial base, we will broaden our actions to ensure that exports of all items critical to Russia’s aggression including those used by Russia on the battlefield are restricted across all our jurisdictions, including exports of industrial machinery, tools, and other technology that Russia uses to rebuild its war machine. We will further target those operating in these key sectors, such as manufacturing, construction, and transportation as well as business services. We will starve Russia of G7 technology, industrial equipment and services that support its war machine. We will continue to shield agricultural, medical, and humanitarian products from our restrictive measures and make every effort to avoid potential spillover impacts on third countries.
We will further prevent the evasion and circumvention of our measures against Russia, including targeting entities transporting material to the front. We will continue to work through the Russian Elites, Proxies, and Oligarchs (REPO) Task Force and the Enforcement Coordination Mechanism to enhance the effectiveness of our restrictive measures. We are engaging with third-countries through which restricted G7 goods, services, or technology may be provided to Russia to strengthen third-countries’ understandings of G7 measures. We note and encourage commitments made by these countries to ensure our measures are not circumvented and have the intended effect.
We reiterate our call on third parties to immediately cease providing material support to Russia’s aggression, or face severe costs. We will reinforce our coordination to prevent and respond to third parties supplying weapons to Russia and continue to take actions against third-country actors who materially support Russia’s war.
We will also work to further curtail Russia’s use of the international financial system to further its war in Ukraine. We are prepared to take further measures against those willfully supporting the financing of Russia’s war. We are taking steps to further reduce avenues for Russia to circumvent our financial measures including by preventing third-country branches of Russian banks from being used to avoid sanctions. We will continue to take necessary actions against Russia’s financial sector while coordinating to preserve financial channels for essential transactions.
We will continue to reduce Russia’s revenue to finance its illegal aggression by taking appropriate steps to limit Russia’s energy revenue and future extractive capabilities, building on the measures we have taken so far, including export bans and the price cap for seaborne Russian-origin crude oil and refined oil products. We have dramatically reduced our reliance on Russian energy and commodities. We are determined to continue on this path so that Russia is no longer able to weaponize energy against us. We will further reduce reliance on civil nuclear and related goods from Russia, including working to assist countries seeking to diversify their supplies. We will also continue efforts to reduce Russia’s revenue from metals. Further, we remain committed to upholding the price caps on Russian oil and petroleum products and we will enhance our efforts to counter evasion of these caps while avoiding spillover effects and maintaining global energy supply.
In order to reduce the revenues that Russia extracts from the export of diamonds, we will continue to work closely together to restrict trade in and use of diamonds mined, processed or produced in Russia and engage with key partners with the aim of ensuring effective implementation of future coordinated restrictive measures, including through tracing technologies.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
8. Responsibility for Damage
We will continue our efforts to ensure that Russia pays for the long-term reconstruction of Ukraine. In this context, we welcome the establishment, in the framework of the Council of Europe and to meet the request from the UN General Assembly, of a Registry of Damages Caused by the Aggression of the Russian Federation Against Ukraine. In line with the commitment made through the REPO Task Force, we will continue to take measures available within our domestic frameworks to find, restrain, freeze, seize, and, where appropriate, confiscate or forfeit the assets of those individuals and entities that have been sanctioned in connection with Russia’s aggression. We are taking steps to fully map holdings of Russia’s sovereign assets immobilized in our jurisdictions. We reaffirm that, consistent with our respective legal systems, Russia’s sovereign assets in our jurisdictions will remain] immobilized until Russia pays for the damage it has caused to Ukraine.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
9. Accountability
There must be no impunity for war crimes and other atrocities, such as Russia’s attacks against civilians and critical civil infrastructure. We acknowledge the efforts made at the United for Justice international conference organized by the Government of Ukraine, and recall the Bucha Declaration that calls for accountability for the most serious crimes under international law committed on the territory of Ukraine.
In this context, we reiterate our commitment to holding those responsible to account consistent with international law, including by supporting the efforts of international mechanisms, such as the International Criminal Court (ICC). We strongly condemn the unlawful deportation and transfer of Ukrainians, including children, from the occupied areas of Ukraine to Russia, and will continue to follow the progress of the ICC investigation in this regard, with the utmost attention and call for the return of these children. We also deplore instances of conflict-related sexual and gender-based violence against Ukrainians. We welcome the establishment of the International Centre for the Prosecution of the Crime of Aggression against Ukraine.
In addition, welcoming the efforts by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) in this context, we underscore the importance of the protection of education of all children, in particular those impacted as well as the preservation of Ukrainian cultural properties and heritage damaged and threatened by the war of aggression. We are also paying attention to the impact of Russia’s aggression on international sport. While fully respecting the autonomy of sporting organizations, we are focused on fair sporting competition as well as on ensuring that Russian and Belarusian athletes are in no way appearing as representatives of their states.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
10. Support to vulnerable countries
Parallel to our support to Ukraine, we reaffirm our commitment to address the growing needs of vulnerable countries which have been aggravated by Russia’s war of aggression against Ukraine. In particular, we stress that Russia’s weaponization of food has compounded economic vulnerabilities, exacerbated already dire humanitarian crises, and escalated global food insecurity and malnutrition to unprecedented levels. We welcome the significant emergency financing delivered by the IMF through the Food Shock Window approved in October 2022 and support additional efforts towards vulnerable countries. We will continue to provide rapid assistance to help affected countries and populations, including through the Global Alliance for Food Security (GAFS). We will continue to support the export of Ukrainian agri-products including through the EU-Ukraine Solidarity Lanes. In this regard, we support the expansion and extension of the Black Sea Grain Initiative (BSGI) and we call upon Russia to stop threatening global food supplies and allow the BSGI to operate at its maximum potential. We remain committed to the Grain from Ukraine initiative. Our contributions support the delivery of humanitarian food assistance to the most vulnerable countries in partnership with the UN World Food Programme (WFP). We remain dedicated to concrete collaborative actions in order to enhance energy security and achieve climate commitments. We will continue to work together in solidarity to limit the impacts from the global energy crisis triggered by Russia’s aggression against Ukraine to support vulnerable and affected countries, such as through the International Energy Agency Task Force on Natural Gas and Clean Fuels Market Monitoring and Supply Security.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
11. Conclusion
We hereby pledge, from Hiroshima, the “symbol of peace”, that G7 members will mobilize all our policy instruments and, together with Ukraine, make every effort to bring a comprehensive, just and lasting peace in Ukraine as soon as possible.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
Statement by White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on President Biden’s Meeting with Quad Leaders (05/19/2023):
After President Biden had to postpone his trip to Australia, the Quad leaders agreed that they would hold their summit in Hiroshima to ensure that the four leaders could come together to mark the Quad’s progress over the past year. So tomorrow, in addition to the G7, President Biden will participate in the third in-person Quad Leaders’ meeting with Prime Minister Anthony Albanese of Australia, Prime Minister Kishida Fumio of Japan, and Prime Minister Narendra Modi of India. Along with sharing strategic assessments, the leaders will welcome new forms of Quad cooperation on secure digital technology, submarine cables, infrastructure capacity building, and maritime domain awareness. President Biden thanks Prime Minister Albanese, as well as the Prime Ministers of Japan and India, for their flexibility, and he looks forward to rescheduling his trip.
White House.gov. 05/19/2023.
Remembrance Tweet
From Thursday…
His full statement:
Five years ago today, the lives of eight young people and two of their teachers were stolen in one of the deadliest school shootings in American history. Their families, classmates, and colleagues continue to live with the trauma and anguish from this devastating attack, and Jill and I are keeping them especially close in our hearts today.
One of the lasting tragedies of the shooting at Santa Fe High School – and too many other devastating school shootings – is the refusal by Congressional Republicans to enact meaningful legislation to stop gun violence. Guns are the number one killer of kids in America, and it’s within our power to stop this epidemic. Yet, from Columbine to Newtown to Parkland to Uvalde to Nashville and so many other shootings in between, our schools are routinely scenes of gun violence instead of the safe spaces they should be.
Our kids should be focused on leading the world in math and science – not learning how to duck and cover.
I am doing everything in my power to maximize the impact of the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act, and my Administration is taking dozens of executive actions to reduce gun violence. But there is no substitute for federal legislation. Congress must act to require safe storage, to ban assault weapons and high-capacity magazines, to enact universal background checks, and end immunity from liability for gun manufacturers. Our kids, educators, school officials – and all Americans – deserve nothing less.
White House.gov. 05/18/2023.
Debt Ceiling Tweets
From Thursday…
From Friday…
President Biden offered remarks on the debt ceiling before leaving D.C, to head to the G7 Summit in Japan. During those remarks he said:
And we’re going to continue these discussions with Congressional leaders in the coming days until we reach an agreement. And I’ll have more to say about that on Sunday, when I’m going to have a press conference on this issue.
As it stands now, the intention is to go to the G7, be back here on Sunday, hold a press conference.
White House.gov. 05/17/2023.
There has been no further mention of the press conference that I have found. Stay tuned!
Medal of Valor Tweet
From Friday…
Remarks by President Biden at Medal of Valor Ceremony (05/17/2023).
The video clip is 1 minute and 16 seconds long.
President Biden:
And today it’s my honor to award nine brave Americans the Medal of Valor, the highest award this country can bestow on a public safety officer.
The award is given for actions above and beyond the call of duty and exhibiting exceptional courage, extraordinary decisiveness, presence of mind, and unusual swiftness in action, regardless of his or her personal safety, in an attempt to save or protect a human life.
To the honorees, I don’t know all of you but I do know you.
From small towns and big cities, you’re cut from the same cloth. You run — you run into danger when everybody else runs away from danger. You possess a selflessness that’s literally impossible to explain. And your bravery is one — it — it inspires. It inspires people. It inspires the community.
[snip]
So let me close this. There’s no greater responsibility of government than to ensure the safety of the American people and those who serve and protect us all. We’re incredibly proud of all of you, and I mean that. Incredibly proud of all of you. And we’re going to have your back as long as we need to, as long as you’re engaged.
[snip]
These are the same — these are some of the most meaningful things that I do as President, because knowing you, meeting your families, looking in your eyes, seeing your courage gives me so much hope for the country. You represent — and this is not hyperbole — you represent the very best of us. You represent the best of who we are as Americans.
And God bless you all. May God protect public safety officers and their families.
White House.gov. 05/17/2023.
“Infrastructure Week” Tweet
From Friday…
This is an Open Thread.
