President Joe Biden held a rare White House press conference to mark his first year in office
Biden said he believes Putin will "move in" the troops he has amassed on the border of Ukraine
He has so far failed to enact much of his agenda, but denied "overpromising"
Instead he argued he has "outperformed" expectations, pointing to declining Covid deaths
Biden committed to keeping Kamala Harris as his running mate in a 2024 re-election campaign
He said he regrets Democratic opposition to his domestic agenda - “I'm not asking for castles in the sky"
Barbara Plett Usher
State Department Correspondent, BBC News
The president is not signalling a reset – he’s been asked if he overpromised, if he needs to scale down his priorities to be more realistic.
His answer is that he’ll stay on track. That the American people overwhelmingly agree with what he’s trying to do. That what he needs to do is better make his case, to explain what’s at stake.
Jennifer Epstein from Bloomberg turns to foreign policy with a question about Ukraine.
If the US and Nato will not put troops on the ground and cannot agree on a sanctions package against Russia, has the US "given up all leverage" on Russia?
Image source, Anadolu Agency via Getty ImagesThe next topic is schools.
Biden is asked how schools can remain open, given the latest Omicron wave that has pushed hospital admissions to record levels.
The president says 95% of US schools remain open – a figure he expects to climb.
Biden says that schools are now better prepared to help stop infections and keep teachers and students safe.
He added, however, that not every school district has used federal resources “as well as it should”.
In response to another question regarding voting rights, Biden says the future of US elections is dependent on the American people being convinced in their fairness.
“I think you’re seeing [citizens] wanting to stand in line and defy an attempt to keep them [away],” he said, adding that many are ready to show up and “make a sacrifice” to ensure future elections.
“But it’s going to be difficult. I make no bones about that… we’re not there yet,” he said.
Image source, Portland Press Herald via Getty ImagesAllison Harris from NewsNation asks if the upcoming mid-term election will be viewed as legitimate, given all the talk in the past year of election fraud.
The riot at the Capitol, which came weeks before Biden took office, was fueled by false claims of voter fraud.
"Some Republicans that are open to major changes say they never received a call from the White House," comes the next question.
The reporter singles out Utah Senator Mitt Romney, who said he never received any lobbying call from Mr Biden.
Biden praises Mitt Romney as “a straight guy” and "serious".
When Romney was the 2012 Republican presidential nominee, Biden told an audience of African Americans that Romney wanted to "put you all back in chains”.
Biden addresses opposition from fellow Democrats in the Republican Party, a reference to Arizona Senator Kyrsten Sinema and West Virginia Senator Joe Manchin.
Opposition from both senators has so far stalled his efforts to overhaul the US election system.
“I'm not asking for castles in the sky. I’m asking for practical things that American people have been asking for a long time,” he said.
He also said he “hasn’t given up” on voting rights.
“I’ve been engaged in public policy for a long time, and I don’t know many things that have been done in one fell swoop”.
However, Biden said he is confident he can sign “big chunks” of his Build Back Better plan signed into law by this year’s mid-term election.
Image source, GETTY/ REUTERSJoe Manchin and Kyrsten Sinema (pictured) have dealt blows to Biden's plans
The next question comes from ABC News and asks about what Biden has done with the Democratic majority in Congress, given that he has failed to pass his social spending plan and his voting rights bills.
"Do you need to be realistic and scale down these priorities to get something passed?" he is asked.
In response to the question about how the president has “overpromised”, he instead argues he “outperformed” expectations.
“We have made enormous progress,” he said, singling out a decline in the number of deaths from Covid-19.
Biden acknowledges, however, that he has so far failed to bridge the divide between Democrats and Republicans in the US.
He went on to read a lengthy quote from former US Senator John Sununu concerning a “stalwart effort” to make sure that Biden didn’t get anything done.
“What are Republicans for? Name me one thing they're for,” Biden said, noting that he believes a change in political tactics will be necessary in the future.
Image source, AFP via Getty ImagesBarbara Plett Usher
State Department Correspondent, BBC News
Biden’s opening pitch was to address head-on the two issues that concern Americans most: the pandemic and rising inflation.
He promoted his achievements, admitted some mistakes, and tried to convince Americans the administration was now on track to "get through this" and “lay the foundation for the future".
First to face challenges from journalists…
Tara McKelvey
BBC News, Washington
Image source, ReutersSome presidents like to talk to reporters in the West Wing’s briefing room: Barack Obama spoke there regularly and, before him, so did President Harry S Truman.
With his decision to instead address the media in the East Room, Biden is taking full advantage of the room’s loveliness, complete with chandeliers and extra space (guests of President Abraham Lincoln waltzed in the room during the Civil War).
The room has other perks, too.
Biden is known for his banter and for his rambling discourses and the East Room provides a more restrained setting – both for the journalists, who must remain at a distance, and for the president, too.
Mr Biden just spoke for about 10 minutes at the start of his press conference, and is now taking questions.
"The best days are ahead of us, not behind us," Biden said as he closed his remarks.
The first question from a reporter asks about the "big picture".
"Did you overpromise what you could achieve in your first year in office?" the reporter asks.
Image source, ReutersSpeaking at the news conference, Biden has defended his administration’s response to the global economic impact of the pandemic and concerns over supply chain problems.
According to the president, 99% of packages were delivered on time and shelves were stocked at a time in which the US was hit by a series of winter storms.
Biden has also promised to address the costs that working class families face, claiming that his Build Back Better plan would lower costs for families across the country. This includes support for childcare, which he said is particularly important in the wake of two million US women losing their jobs.
“The bottom line: if price increases are what you’re worried about, the best answer is my Build Back Better plan.”
The president also promises to promote competition, saying that “capitalism with competition isn’t capitalism, it’s exploitation”.
Expanding on his plans to tame the pandemic, Biden promised the US will not return to lockdowns and school closures.
He noted his administration’s American Rescue Plan has provided $130bn (£95bn) to keep students and educators safe.
In his remarks, however, Biden warned the pandemic is not going to go away immediately, although he said the US is moving towards a time in which the Covid-19 virus will no longer disrupt daily lives or constitute a crisis.
“We’re not there yet, but we will get there,” he said.
The president continued by noting that elevated prices remain a problem, and that the Federal Reserve is prepared to “recalibrate” economic support if necessary.
Image source, Getty ImagesBiden began his press conference by noting that it’s been a year of both challenges and achievements.
Among the achievements he touted in the first few minutes of the press conference were a 40% drop in child poverty, 6 million new jobs, and rising wages for working class people.
He also noted that the US has seen “record job creation and economic growth” in his first year.
Looking forward, Biden has promised to create better jobs and modernise American infrastructure.
“Still, for all this progress, I know there’s a lot of frustration and fatigue in this country,” he said. “We know why: Covid-19.”
In the near future, Biden says that the US is learning to adapt to the pandemic and already preparing for the post-pandemic world. He added that the US is still working to vaccinate the remaining unvaccinated population and expanding testing.
He also concedes his administration should have done better on coronavirus testing.
President Biden has repeatedly made it clear that tackling the ongoing pandemic is his top priority. He even said previously he carries a card in his pocket with an up-to-date number of Americans killed by the virus.
Barbara Plett Usher
State Department Correspondent, BBC News
Image source, ReutersA new Gallup poll found just 40% of US adults approve of the job the president is doing
Joe Biden is holding this press conference in perilous times. Polls show he has the lowest ratings of almost any first-year US president: only Donald Trump fared worse.
At one level that reflects Americans’ frustration with the continuing pandemic and the highest level of inflation in a generation – the two issues that concern them most and over which Biden has limited control. But he’s lost support from those who say his administration is not focused enough on the economy and is issuing confusing information about the pandemic.
There is less immediate interest in what Biden has been focused on - his legislative agenda on social spending and voting rights - which is anyway stalled in congress.
The low ratings also reflect a country that has never been more polarised in modern times, something a news conference won’t change.
But to the extent that Biden’s comments can make a difference, and most of the drop in polls is due to disaffected independent voters, he’d do well to reassure anxious Americans that he understands their concerns and set out a clear roadmap for how he will address them.
Welcome to our coverage of US President Joe Biden’s first press conference of this year.
It’s the sixth formal news conference he has held since taking office.
It's a big deal for the White House because tomorrow marks one year since Biden took office as the 46th president of the United States.
During his inauguration on 20 January 2021, the president promised to “right wrongs”, unify the nation and “do great things”.
Stay with us as we look at what Biden has to say about his successes and disappointments over the last 365 days - and what questions he gets from the press.