Biden makes surprise appearance at White House briefing, says he may ask for more Helene response money

President Biden entered the White House briefing country connected Friday to audible gasps from reporters arsenic helium unexpectedly took the podium and fielded questions.

It was the archetypal clip that Biden, 81, made an quality during a White House property briefing since helium assumed bureau successful 2021. The president spoke concisely astir the averted larboard workers strike, Friday's affirmative jobs numbers and announced that helium whitethorn petition further wealth from Congress to money Hurricane Helene alleviation efforts.

"We're going to person to woody with unforeseen outgo what this hurricane is going to cost. It's going to outgo a batch of wealth and I'm astir apt going to person to inquire the Congress earlier we permission for much wealth to woody with immoderate of those problems," Biden said.

The Biden-Harris medication has travel nether occurrence from erstwhile President Trump for a purportedly inadequate effect to the devastation near by Helene. The decease toll successful southeastern states deed hardest by the tempest has risen past 215, with much than 100 dormant successful occidental North Carolina alone. 

BIDEN GETS DEFENSIVE WHEN PUSHED ON WHO'S ‘COMMANDING’ HURRICANE HELENE RESPONSE

White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre (L) fields a question for US President Joe Biden during the regular property briefing astatine the White House successful Washington, DC, connected October 4, 2024. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

The White House has pushed backmost hard against these criticisms, emphasizing that Biden has coordinated the national response, including approving exigency declarations and deploying 1,000 active-duty soldiers to enactment search-and-rescue efforts. More than 4,800 unit from FEMA and different agencies person been deployed to North Carolina and neighboring states impacted by Helene. Additionally, FEMA has shipped implicit 8.5 cardinal meals, much than 7 cardinal liters of water, 150 generators and implicit 220,000 tarps to assistance effect efforts, according to the White House.

As of Friday, the national authorities has provided much than $45 cardinal successful Individual Assistance to survivors impacted by the storm, White House property caput Karine Jean-Pierre said, including successful the signifier of one-time $750 payments from FEMA to qualified applicants successful Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia. 

BUTTIGIEG'S MESSAGE ON RESTRICTING CIVILIAN DRONES NEAR HURRICANE HELENE DAMAGE PROMPTS OUTCRY, CLARIFICATION

US President Joe Biden and White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre get to talk astatine the regular property briefing astatine the White House successful Washington, DC, connected October 4, 2024. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Biden's astonishment in-person quality successful the White House briefing country comes aft an Axios report highlighted his lack from nationalist presumption successful the last months of his presidency.

Axios reported Thursday that Biden had not scheduled a nationalist lawsuit successful 43 of the 75 days since helium dropped retired of the 2024 statesmanlike election. He has participated successful conscionable 1 run lawsuit with Vice President Kamala Harris, who succeeded him arsenic the Democratic nominee. 

TRUMP TARGETS BIDEN, HARRIS OVER FEDERAL RESPONSE TO HURRICANE: ‘INCOMPETENTLY MANAGED’

President Biden speaks during the regular property briefing astatine the White House successful Washington, D.C., connected Oct. 4, 2024. (ANDREW CABALLERO-REYNOLDS/AFP via Getty Images)

Critics, including galore Republicans, person questioned whether Biden is capable to grip the pressures of the presidency astatine his precocious age, noting that astir of his nationalist appearances are scheduled betwixt 10 a.m. and 5 p.m. The president has besides lone fixed 2 interviews since July 21.

White House spokesperson Andrew Bates waved disconnected disapproval of Biden's nationalist docket arsenic portion of the White House's media strategy successful a connection to Axios.

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"Being commander-in-chief is astir acold much than nationalist events, which are scheduled astatine strategical times to scope the astir Americans possible, similar earlier 20 cardinal Americans ticker the nationalist evening news," Bates told the outlet.

He added the president "works astir the clock, agelong earlier and aft these times, arsenic the historical results helium continues to execute play for the American radical demonstrate."