President Joe Biden got testy when speaking to a reporter while taking questions at the White House on Tuesday. Shortly before, he met with Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) to negotiate to raise the debt ceiling.
The debt ceiling limits the amount of money the federal government may owe. That limit was reached in January, but the Department of the Treasure has undertaken “extraordinary measures” to fulfill the nation’s debt obligations. Those measures are set to expire in June. If the divided Congress and Biden do not reach a deal, the country will default for the first time in its history.
House Republicans said they will not vote to raise the ceiling unless the White House agrees to spending cuts.
Biden appeared languid for much of his press conference on Tuesday, but got chippy when a reporter asked him about those cuts:
REPORTER: Speaker McCarthy said that he asked you numerous times if there was anywhere in the federal budget for cuts, but he did not get an answer, so–
BIDEN: He got a specific answer. He got a specific answer again, today.
REPORTER: Which is what?
BIDEN: Well, you didn’t listen, either, so why should I even answer the question? We cut the deficit by $160 billion, b-i-l-l-i-o-n, dollars on the Medicare deal. We cut the deficit by raising the tax on people making–55 corporations that made $40 billion to 15%. And the list goes on. So–
REPORTER: But in terms of what he is proposing, is there any room for negotiation?
BIDEN: What’s he proposing? Did he tell you?
REPORTER: He talked about–
BIDEN: No, no, I’m not being facetious. Did he tell you what he’s proposing?
REPORTER: He was talking about the bill.
BIDEN: Yeah, but what does it propose? Do you know? I’m not being a wise guy. You all are very, very informed people. Do you know what that bill cuts?
REPORTER: He–there is a long list of things that it cuts.
BIDEN: No, it doesn’t say it. Does it say what it’s going to cut? Or just say generically it’s going to cut?
[Pause]
You get the problem?
Watch above via CNN.
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