President Joe Biden is worried that addressing the nation about the recent conflict in the Middle East could cause Iran to escalate to a war, three senior administration officials told Politico.
After three U.S. troops were killed in Jordan in a drone strike, Biden ordered the administration to respond with an attack of their own on targets in Iraq and Syria, a statement from the military confirmed. Since the attacks, Biden has not made an address to the nation about the conflict, instead opting to release written statements. While Biden is worried that making a public speech could irritate Iran, senior officials are concerned that a speech in the manner of an Oval Office address would convey the idea of war with Iran, one senior administration official told the outlet. (RELATED: Biden Again Claims He Lost His Son In Iraq While Consoling Gold Star Families, Video Shows)
“Different presidents handle it differently. Part of this remains the ongoing reaction to former President Trump, who was out front all the time — Biden is trying to do the opposite and focus on governing quietly,” Julian Zelizer, a presidential historian at Princeton University, told the outlet.
“The danger is the perception is less ‘here is the person who is governing and being cautious,’ but rather ‘here is a person who is not in control,’” the historian reportedly continued.
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While on a campaign stop in South Carolina, Biden gave a brief comment about the attack that killed three U.S. troops.
“We had a tough day last night in — in the Middle East. We lost three brave souls in an attack on one our bases. And I’d ask you for a moment of silence for all three of those fallen soldiers,” the president said before holding a moment of silence.
Iranians wave their country’s national flags as they take part in a rally outside the former US embassy in the capital Tehran on November 4, 2022, to mark the 43th anniversary of the start of the Iran hostage crisis. – Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi today ridiculed a vow by US President Joe Biden to “free” Iran, as weeks of protests in the Islamic republic show little sign of abating. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP) (Photo by ATTA KENARE/AFP via Getty Images)
“And we shall respond,” he continued.
Following the attacks on the U.S. troops in Jordan, Biden’s administration said it holds Iran accountable for the strike, according to Sabrina Singh, press secretary for the Pentagon. Iran has denied being involved in or associated with the attacks, according to The New York Times.
U.S. President Joe Biden departs after speaking about the banking system in the Roosevelt Room of the White House on March 13, 2023 in Washington, DC. President Biden gave an update regarding the collapse of Silicon Valley Bank in California and how his administration is handling the ripple effects. (Photo by Anna Moneymaker/Getty Images)
Biden announced the attacks on Feb. 2, and has since made a trip to California for some campaign meetings and a trip to Nevada for campaign events. The president has also visited Florida and South Carolina for other campaign events in the last week of January.
The president was asked to participate in a primetime interview with CBS News ahead of the Super Bowl but turned down the opportunity for the second straight year, the outlet informed Variety.
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“If that bill were the law today, I’d shut down the border right now and fix it quickly,” Biden said.
Before the… pic.twitter.com/CqeyPd3AoO
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) January 30, 2024
The president’s officials have dismissed concerns about Biden’s lack of communication strategy, adding that his recent trips have allowed him to reach the American people directly, Politico reported.
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“President Biden is crisscrossing the country at a rate that often exceeds his predecessors’ travel schedules, talking to the American people about their lives and the issues that matter most to them,” deputy press secretary Andrew Bates told the outlet. Bates reportedly added that the White House’s strategy is “aggressive, modern, all-of-the-above communities and digital strategy.”