Politics

Biden: ‘They Gave Me A List … I Was Instructed To Call On’ Certain Reporters Before Fielding Questions

(Screenshot/YouTube/CNBC Television)

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President Joe Biden said out loud that NBC’s Kelly O’Donnell was the first reporter he was “instructed to call on” to ask him a question during a Thursday press briefing following a terrorist attack outside the Kabul airport.

“Ladies and gentlemen, they gave me a list here. The first person I was instructed to call on was Kelly O’Donnell of NBC,” Biden said, kicking off the Q&A part of the briefing.

Immediately after Biden’s announcement, O’Donnell got the mic and asked the president about his plans regarding a potential deployment of additional forces to Afghanistan in response to the ISIS-K attack.

“I’ve instructed the military. Whatever they need, if they need additional force, I will grant it,” Biden replied, adding that the military officials had expressed their intent to get as many people as possible out of the country, as per the initial plan.

The Islamic State claimed responsibility for the attack that killed 12 U.S. service members and wounded 15 more, in addition to claiming the lives of at least 60 Afghans. (RELATED: ISIS Attack Will Not Deter Troops From Mission To Get Americans Out Of Afghanistan, Pentagon Official Says)

“To those who carried out this attack as well as anyone who wishes America harm, know this: We will not forgive. We will not forget. We will hunt you down and make you pay,” the president addressed the perpetrators of the attack.