President Biden is giving his first press conference as president on Thursday afternoon. While Mr. Biden has periodically taken questions from reporters, he has not yet had a full press conference since taking office.
CBS News is carrying his remarks live on local CBS stations as a Special Report. CBSN is broadcasting the press conference in full as well.
Mr. Biden has been criticized by conservatives and even some political allies for his delay in holding a formal press conference. By this point in their presidencies, former Presidents Donald Trump and Barack Obama had formally taken questions from reporters.
How to watch President Biden’s first press conference
White House press secretary Jen Psaki said Tuesday that Mr. Biden is “thinking about what he wants to say, what he wants to convey, where he can provide updates and looking forward to the opportunity to engage with a free press.”
Before taking questions on Thursday, Mr. Biden announced he is doubling his COVID-19 vaccine goal, vowing 200 million vaccine shots in his first 100 days in office — up from 100 million. Meeting that goal would require the U.S. to roughly keep the current pace of vaccinations.
“I know it’s ambitious, twice our original goal, but no other country has even come close,” the president said.
Mr. Biden also touted the results of the American Rescue Plan, and noted that most Americans who are receiving stimulus checks have already received them.
“Help is here, and hope is on the way,” he said.
Mr. Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris have been traveling the country to tout the American Rescue Plan, the $1.9 trillion coronavirus relief measure signed into law earlier this month.
Mr. Biden is soon expected to unveil the details of a major infrastructure package, and was likely to field questions on Thursday about his forthcoming proposal, immigration and gun control.
On Tuesday, he called on the Senate to move forward with two bills passed by the House aimed at reducing gun violence, following deadly shootings in Colorado and Georgia. Psaki said the White House is not ruling out executive actions on gun violence.