Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and National Security Communications Adviser John Kirby

1:44 P.M. EST

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Hello. Hi, everybody.

Q Hi.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Happy Thursday. (Ms. Jean-Pierre adjusts the lectern.) Just mess- - be messing with this lectern.

Okay. So, today, President Biden announced that he is granting clemency to approximately 1,500 Americans - the largest act in a single day - who have demonstrated remorse and rehabilitation as well as a strong commitment to making their communities safer.

The president is commuting the sentences of 1,500 individuals who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities.

He is also pardoning 39 individuals who were convicted of nonviolent crimes.

The Americans receiving relief today include a decorated military veteran, a nurse who has led response for a number of natural disasters, and an addiction counselor who volunteers his time to help young people. That's just to name a few.

Today's actions build on the president's record of criminal justice reform to help reunite families, strengthen communities, and reintegrate individuals back into society.

The president has issued more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any of his recent predecessors at the same point in their first terms. He is also the first president ever to issue categorical - categorical pardons to individuals convicted of simple use and possession of marijuana and to former LGBTQI+ service members convicted because of their sexual orientation.

As the president has said before, America was founded on the premise of second chances. For far too long, our criminal justice system has closed doors of opportunity for too many people who should have the chance to once again participate in daily life and contribute to their communities.

And as the president said in his statement, he will take more steps in the weeks ahead. He and his team will continue reviewing clemency petitions to advance equal justice under the law, promote public safety, support rehab and reentry, and provide meaningful second chances.

And with that, I have my colleague here from the National Security Council, Admiral Kirby, to talk about foreign policy news of day.

MR. KIRBY: Thank you so much, Karine.

Afternoon, everybody.

Q Hello, sir.

Q Hello.

MR. KIRBY: Sorry?

Q We're just saying hi.

Q Hello, sir.

Q We're just saying hi.

MR. KIRBY: All right. (Laughs.) Look, as you all know, National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is in Israel today. He just wrapped up a full day of meetings, including one with Prime Minister Netanyahu.

Jake's meeting with the prime minister focused on the progress we've made in the region. That means ensuring the Lebanon ceasefire continues to hold, that we continue to engage with all Syrian groups to establish a transition toward an independent and sovereign Syria, and, most importantly, that we continue to make progress toward closing a hostage release and ceasefire deal in Gaza so that the hostages - including Americans - can be reunited with their families, so that civilians in Gaza can receive the humanitarian assistance that they desperately still need, and so that this war can come to an end.

Jake will now travel to Doha and to Cairo to continue these efforts.

His travel, of course, coincides with that of Secretary Blinken, who is traveling to Jordan and Turkey, making clear our commitment to a Syrian-led transition process so that the Syrian people and their aspirations can be realized.

The president is being regularly briefed on all these meetings and remains in close touch with his national security team as the situation in Syria continues to develop - and it does continue to develop.

Tomorrow, he's going to speak virtually with his fellow G7 leaders. They will discuss a range of issues: our shared support to Ukraine, which comes, of course, after the United States disbursed $20 billion to a new World Bank fund that will provide economic support for Ukraine as part of the $50 billion G7 Extraordinary Revenue Acceleration loan effort.

And that, of course - I think, as you all know - leverages income earned from frozen Russian sovereign assets and increasingly puts the cost of war on Russia with no burden to the taxpayer here in the United States. We're going to continue to explore ways to make maximum use of those assets, by the way.

And I'd note that also today the president approved a new security assistance package for Ukraine that will provide them with additional air defense, artillery, drones, and armored vehicles. It's the 72nd such drawdown package announced by the United States. And as the president made clear, we're going to continue to provide additional packages right up until the end of this administration.

I think G7 leaders can also be expected to discuss ongoing developments in the Middle East, of course - how we're helping Israel defend itself against active threats and how we're all working towards that Syrian-led process we talked about.

Now, I'd also be remiss if I didn't just take a moment to highlight an important milestone in our efforts to keep faith with Afghan allies.

As of today, the State Department has issued 76,000 Special Immigrant Visas for Afghan partners and their families, surpassing the number of SIVs issued by all previous administrations combined since the program began back in 2009. They did this by surging staff, by leveraging new technology, by consolidating some cumbersome processing steps, and working hard to verify, in better ways, applicants' employment status.

And, of course, we've requested from Congress more visa numbers so that we can continue to do that.

Now, finally, I just want to add a few comments on the reports of drone activity here on the East Coast, particularly in and around New Jersey.

We have no evidence at this time that the reported drone sightings pose a national security or a public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.

The Department of Homeland Security and the FBI are investigating these sightings, and they're working closely with state and local law enforcement to provide resources, using numerous detection methods to better understand their origin.

Using very sophisticated electronic detection technologies provided by federal authorities, we have not been able to - and neither have state or local law enforcement authorities - corroborate any of the reported visual sightings.

To the contrary, upon review of available imagery, it appears that many of the reported sightings are actually manned aircraft that are being operated lawfully.

The United States Coast Guard is providing support to the State of New Jersey and has confirmed that there is no evidence of any foreign-based involvement from coastal vessels.

And, importantly, there are no reported or confirmed drone sightings in any restricted airspace.

Now, that said, we certainly take seriously the threat that can be posed by unmanned aircraft systems, which is why law enforcement and other agencies continue to support New Jersey and investigate the reports, even though they have uncovered no malicious activity or intent at this particular stage.

While there is no known malicious activity occurring, the reported sightings there do, however, highlight a gap in authorities. And so, we urge Congress to pass important legislation that will extend and expand existing counter-drone authorities so that we are better prepared to identify and mitigate any potential threats to airports or other critical infrastructure and so that state and local authorities are provided all the tools that they need to respond to such threats as well.

Now, tomorrow, there's a little thing called the Army-Navy game. We wish both sides a good game. (Laughter.) We thank them for their service now, of course, at these service academies and for their service in the future. We don't officially take sides here at the National Security Council, but "Go Navy, Beat Army." (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Thank you, Admiral. Good luck.

What is the White House reaction to President Xi being invited to President-elect Trump's inauguration next month?

MR. KIRBY: Well, that's going to be up to President-elect Trump to decide who's going to sit with him there at the inauguration and who's going to be there.

We've worked really hard on this most consequential of bilateral relationships. The president met with Xi Jinping a number of times, including recently and, as you know, at the - at APEC.

And we - we believe that as we get ready to turn over things to the Trump team that we're turning ov- - turning over a U.S.-China relationship that is in better shape than the one we found it in. That doesn't mean that we don't have disagreements. We do and we will, and I'm sure they will too. But we're working hard on this relationship, and we'll do that right to the end.

Q Did President Biden invite any foreign leaders to his inauguration in 2021?

MR. KIRBY: Oh, geez, I don't - I don't know. I'd have to take that question. I don't know.

Q I think one - one other question about Travis Timmerman. Was the U.S. aware that he was missing and being detained in Syria before this week?

MR. KIRBY: I am not aware of any indication that we had that this gentleman was in Syria. I would - I want to remind that we are just getting word of this, and we're trying to confirm his identity at this point, so the State Department is working hard on that right now. I - I am not aware that we had any prior indication that - that he was - was in Syria.

It's also a good reminder for everybody, if you're traveling overseas, to enroll in the State Department's STEP program so that, you know, they have an idea of who you are and where you are. It's voluntary, of course, but we recommend that to everybody.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Thank you. So, regarding Travis Timmerman, have there been any other - I don't know, have there been any other Americans - or people who have been saying that they're American uncovered in detention following what - the events in Syria? And then, regarding Americans, do you have any updates on Austin Tice?

MR. KIRBY: On your first question: Not that I'm aware of.

On your second question: We don't have any additional context or information about Austin since the events of the weekend in Syria, but we are working very, very hard. And as we've said in the past, we - we hope that developments in Syria could lead to some opportunities and some - and some more information, but right now we don't have anything.

Q Are you concerned that there isn't more information around Tice - there isn't more of an update, considering the fact that we're seeing these prisons - sort of, people released? We're sort of - would you have expected to have more news about Austin Tice at this point?

MR. KIRBY: We're concerned about Mr. Tice. We're concerned about finding out more about him - where he is, his condition. We certainly, as the president said on Sunday, want to do everything we can to get him back with his family where he belongs.

Would we like to have had more information in the last 40, 48, 72 hours? You betcha.

And we're working hard. We're in touch with interlocutors and counterparts in and outside Syria to try to get as much information as we can, but I just don't - I don't have anything additional to report to you today.

Q And just following up on the news that President-elect Trump's press secretary confirmed that she was invited - you yourself have talked about wanting a competitive relationship that doesn't have conflict - like you said, "a better relationship now than four years ago with China." So, what's your take? Was it a wise move?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not going to - it's - it's not my place from the podium here to - to pass judgment on the invitations to the inauguration. That's really for the Trump transition team to - to speak to.

Look, I would just again say this. It is, without doubt, the single most consequential bilateral relation that the United States has in the world, and it is a relationship that is both fraught with peril and with opportunity.

And when we get ready to turn over to the Trump team, we will - we will make sure they are fully informed about everything President Biden has done - and he has done a lot - to get this relationship on a more stable footing.

And it'll be up to them to determine how and to what degree they want to carry that forward. And if - if that means having a conversation with President Xi around the inauguration that President Trump wants to do, well, again, that's his prerogative.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q President-elect Trump -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, sorry.

Q Karine?

Q Thanks. Sorry. President-elect Trump this morning also kind of dismissed a question about protecting Taiwan. Could you talk at all about conversations that the current Biden administration might be having with Taiwan in this moment, if there's more security concern with those friends and partners than with an incoming Trump administration?

MR. KIRBY: I think Taiwanese leaders know very well where President Biden stands on our continued support to Taiwan's self-defense. I think that they also clearly understand that we don't want to see any cross-strait tensions resolved through violence or force and that - that we're committed to our obligations under the Taiwan Relations Act.

So, I'm not aware of any additional specific conversations that have happened in recent days, but I think it's pretty apparent to everybody, including the PRC and President Xi, where we stand on the issue of Taiwan's self-defense.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Danny.

Q Thanks, Karine. Thanks, Admiral. What's your response to President-elect Trump saying in his TIME Magazine interview that it was a "foolish decision" by the Biden administration to let Ukraine fire long-range missiles into Ukraine?

MR. KIRBY: Hey, look, I'm not going to get into a back-and-forth with the president-elect and what he's saying in the media space.

All I can do is - is reiterate what President Biden's policy and guidance has been, and that is to do everything we can, including today with this package that we're announcing, to make sure Ukraine can continue to defend itself so that if and when this comes to some sort of negotiation, that President Zelenskyy is in the best possible position that has the most leverage possible, that he has the most success on the battlefield that he can - that he can take into that negotiation.

That has included additional policy guidance that President Biden issued not long ago to allow for some long-range missile systems to be used to help Ukraine defend itself across that border, and that policy still stands.

Q Very briefly, will you be extending any congratulations to President-elect Trump on his second Time of the - Time Person of the Year award? (Laughter.)

MR. KIRBY: I actually didn't know that - that that had happened. I - I don't have any - I don't have anything more to say on that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Nadia.

Q Thank you, Karine. I want to go back to Austin Tice. Can you give us some information about the U.S. presence on the ground? Who is there to secure his release? Because it seems to me like it's battle between journalists who are trying to reach to any American prisoners there and this - what happened this morning.

MR. KIRBY: Now let's not get ahead of where we are right now. Two things. One, U.S. military presence in Syria is predominantly in the east and it's designed solely to help us with the counter-ISIS missions. And we're working with the Syrian Democratic Forces to that end. That's why they're there, and that's the only reason that they're there.

We don't have enough information right now about Mr. Tice and his whereabouts and his condition to develop any kind of policy options in terms of getting him home. So, we - let's just not get ahead of where we are right now.

Right now, we're really trying - and we hope that developments in Syria will give us the opportunity to glean more information.

Q So, you - sorry, I just to follow on this. So, you're saying that there's no FBI agents, there is nobody from the hostage departments that the U.S. was dealing who on the ground now in Syria? Because I'm aware of the Hostage Aid - that's an organization that trying to find all hostages all over, American hostages. They are on the ground. And there are journalists, including my station, who's - who actually the first station to reach Mr. Timmerman this morning.

MR. KIRBY: The work that we're doing, the presence that we have in Syria is - is largely around counterterrorism missions.

Again, I don't have policy options to speak to right now about finding and retrieving Mr. Tice. We just don't have enough information at this point.

Q Okay. One more on Gaza, please. You have called on the Israelis many times from this podium to make sure they avoid civilian casualties and aid workers who have been working in Gaza. In the last week, every single day there's at least 50 civilians are being killed, including entire families and 34 aid workers. So, has your message gone on deaf ears, or are you following up with what's happening there? How civilians are being killed every single day, and we don't hear much about them?

MR. KIRBY: We talk to the Israelis almost every day about - about their operations and about how we want to see them be more careful and minimize civilian casualties.

And, my goodness, Jake Sullivan, our national security advisor, is in Israel today, and this very much was a part of the discussions he had with - not - with the Israeli national security team as well as the prime minister. He brought it up today. Secretary Blinken is in the region. I have no doubt that he'll be bringing it up as well.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Patsy.

Q Thanks you, Karine. John, two questions. One on Afghanistan - if you have any thoughts on the death of the Taliban minister Khalil Rahman Haqqani in a suicide bombing claimed by a regional Islamic State affiliate.

MR. KIRBY: I think that - look, we're just getting information about this. I think it's a little too soon for me to - to make a comment. The only thing I would say is that we recognize - and we said so at the time - that there was still an ISIS threat inside Afghanistan. And clearly, they have set their sights on the Taliban. But I don't really have anything more say on that.

Q Is there anything in terms of U.S. over-horizon capability? Can you comment on that, in terms of, you know, how - how this kind of suicide bomb- - bombing -

MR. KIRBY: We maintain and have improved, since our withdrawal from Afghanistan, the ability to conduct over-the-horizon counterterrorism operations anywhere in the world - anywhere in the world - and we've proven our ability to do that, including in places like Afghanistan since we left.

Q And one quick one on Venezuela, if you don't mind, John. So, Argentina is accusing Venezuela of continually harassing members of the opposition that's sheltering in their diplomatic compound in Caracas. Do you have any comments on that?

MR. KIRBY: Let me get back to you on that one.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Yeah. John, thanks so much. On Syria again. What is the United States doing to ensure that there are no clashes between that Turkey-backed SNA and the U.S.-allied Kurdish militia there?

MR. KIRBY: Yeah.

Q And then I've got one more.

MR. KIRBY: One of the things we want to make sure is that the Syrian Democratic Forces stay partnered with us on counter-ISIS missions. And we have seen in the past where - where certain parts of the SDF, if they pursue - perceived other - other threats and challenges, they've - in the past, they've kind of moved off that mission, and we don't want to see that happen.

So, we're in very close touch with our SDF partners to - to try to maintain that focus on counter-ISIS missions, and we are just as importantly in touch with our Turkish counterparts, including Secretary Blinken, to - to make sure that we understand what they're trying to do and that we both take steps that - that help preserve the effectiveness of the counter-ISIS mission and that it's not diminished in any way.

Q Okay. I mean, the relationship with the Turks hasn't been the best. So, how do you hope to ensure that this, you know, message gets through and is respected?

MR. KIRBY: By being there and talking to them, which is what we're doing today.

Q Okay. And then just one more on - on Syria - or, rather, on Austin Tice. There have been reports - scattered reports that he could be in Iran. Can you say anything to that?

MR. KIRBY: I can't. As I said - and it's an honest answer - we just don't have enough context right now to make a judgment about his whereabouts or his condition, and that's why we're working so hard. And we are, as we speak - you and me today - we are asking those questions. And we hope that what happened in Syria over the weekend may give us an opportunity to learn more.

Q Are you directly in touch with the Iranians about this at all?

MR. KIRBY: We have been in touch - I'll just say this. As you would expect - or at least I hope you would expect us to be - we have been in touch with interlocutors and groups and leaders all over the region. And we have various ways of being in touch, some is indirect - some is indirect.

But I - I think it's safe for you to assume that, given the events over the weekend, we're - we're - it's a full-court press to see what we can do to find out more about Austin Tice, and that includes having a whole heck of a lot of conversations with a lot of different folks.

Q Okay. And then just one more, quickly, on Gaza. So, Jake said he thinks the ceasefire deal may be near. We've obviously heard that before.

MR. KIRBY: And Jake said we've heard that before - (laughter) - and we - and we haven't al- - always been able to get it across the finish line. We're being pragmatic about this.

Q I know. But, I mean, what - what - you know, how are the circumstances different now? What dynamics could be different that would actually make a deal happen?

MR. KIRBY: That's a great question. I think if - if you're Hamas right now, which is still fairly a - a rudderless organization, and you look at the world today, you know, the options aren't good. Your - your military capabilities have been all but decimated. Your main leader is gone. The leader of your - your buddy, Hezbollah, he's gone - Nasrallah is gone. He- - Hezbollah is now in a ceasefire arrangement, which is still holding, with Israel. And Iran is not coming to the rescue. There is no cavalry for the Hamas right now - for Hamas right now.

So, this is the time, and I think that's what Jake was alluding to. The - there has been an awful lot of pressure put on anybody who is supporting Hamas. And now, given where they are and how weakened they are, this is the moment to make this deal.

And that's why, I think, Jake believes that we're - that we're getting close. I mean, this is a great opportunity right now to do it.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Thank you, Karine. Just to follow on Gaza. In those comments in Jerusalem earlier today, Jake Sullivan said that the posture of both Prime Minister Netanyahu to do a deal and the posture of Hamas at the negotiating table in the wake of the ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon had changed favorably toward a deal. I'm just wondering if you could elaborate a little bit more on that dynamic and what he's referencing there.

MR. KIRBY: Well, it's kind of my - my answer to Andrea. I mean, i- - the - the situation for Hamas has radically changed, particularly because of what's happened.

And I would add - one thing I didn't add was events in Syria, because now Assad is gone. And who was Assad's main backer? Iran.

Iran was not only unwilling but unable to come to Assad's rescue. It's just more proof - or should be more proof - to Hamas leaders that there is, as I said, no cavalry coming to the rescue.

So, th- - they're - they're at a moment of weakness and desperation. This is the time to make this deal and move forward on it.

Now, whether they'll do it or not, as Jake said, you know, we can't be certain, but we believe there's an opportunity here - a moment - and that's why Jake's in the region.

Q On Syria, the U.S. has stated that one of its primary goals is to make sure that ISIS does not reconstitute there. In the days since the Assad regime has fallen, have you seen any information or any intelligence about cells or larger groups that are trying to exploit this opening?

MR. KIRBY: Yeah, I'm not going to get into too much on the intel side.

I'll just tell you that we're watching this real closely, and that is a risk. That is a worry - that ISIS - I mean, this is a group that - that loves ungoverned space. And you can expect - we have to expect that they're going to look at what's happening here with the fall of Assad and now Russia - or Iran not coming to the rescue; Russia now also not coming to rescue. Russia is worried about their own presence in Syria and how that's going to look. You can expect - you would expect that a group like ISIS would try to exploit that.

So, we're watching it closely.

I don't have any, again, additional intelligence indicators to speak to - to today, but it is something we're laser-focused on.

Q And then just broadly, on foreign policy. There's only one president at a time, but we've seen the president-elect wade into his preference for what the U.S. does or doesn't do in Syria, the U.S. approach to Ukraine, to the Middle East. And now the transition is also, as you guys have said, working hand in glove as you push for a ceasefire in the region there. He's also inviting world leaders to inauguration.

Is this having an impact on your foreign policy?

MR. KIRBY: No. No.

But I want to go back to your first question, though. The oth- - the other thing I want to stress on this ISIS thing is that that is why - and the president said this Sunday - the - the concerns about ISIS is exactly why that mission in Syria, the mil- - the U.S. military mission and the partnership with the SDF is so important and why we want to see it continue.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Lalit.

Q Thank you. Two questions. One on Bangladesh, then on India.

On Bangladesh. Over the past few weeks, several Hindu American groups across the country have been holding protest march - one outside the White House over the weekend. They're protesting against the continued killings of Hindus and the temples in Bangladesh after the fall of Sheikh Hasina's government. Is the president aware about it? Did he raise this issue when he met his friend and the interim government chief Muhammad Yunus on the sidelines of the U.N.?

MR. KIRBY: We're watching this very, very, very closely, and the president is following events closely as well.

The security situation in Bangladesh has been difficult following the ouster of the former prime minister, and we've been working closely with the interim government to enhance the capability of their law enforcement and security services to deal with the challenge.

We've been very clear in our engagement with all Bangladeshi leaders that protection of religious and ethnic minorities is absolutely critical, and the leaders of the interim government have repeatedly committed to providing security to all Bangladeshis, regardless of religion or ethnicity.

We hol- - we want to hold them to that.

Q And on India. As the president concludes his four-year term, what do you think of the key achievements of India-U.S.'s (inaudible)?

MR. KIRBY: The president is very proud of the way in which our bilateral relationship with India has transformed during his administration. I mean, we've elevated the Quad now - the Indo-Pacific Quad. I don't know how many meetings he's had now inside the Quad and bilaterally with the - the prime minister.

There's an awful lot in our relationship that has improved: military-to-military communication and - and defense security partnerships there in India and in the Indo-Pacific writ large, people-to-people ties, economic ties. I mean, there's been an awful lot.

Q Quick follow-up on - on India. You mentioned about Quad. What are the president's expectations on the coming administration on Quad and other American -

MR. KIRBY: That's going to be up to the incoming administration.

Q - U2I2 -

MR. KIRBY: That's - it's going to be up to them to determine how they leverage the Indo-Pacific Quad. We can only speak to the ways President Biden has.

Q Do you expect there to be the bilateral - sorry, bipartisan support to India's relationship?

MR. KIRBY: Do I expect -

Q India's relationship has - has been a bipartisan support - right? - for the - both the sides have supported it.

MR. KIRBY: I don't see anything in the future which would indicate a change in that. There has been strong bipartisan support for growing this bilateral relationship, and I'm - I'm - I would expect that that will continue.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Hey, John.

MR. KIRBY: Oh, sorry.

Q Yeah. President-elect Trump last night named a new director for the Voice of America: Kari Lake. Do you think that the president has the authority to name a new director of that news group?

MR. KIRBY: I understand that there's - I - I actually don't - you know what, I - I'm going to - look, I'm - I think I should take the question, because I don't understand enough about the process there to really weigh in on that. So, why don't we take that question?

Q Could you just react generally to the fact that, you know, this is a nonpartisan agency, and Kari Lake is someone who just ran a Senate campaign? Just any reaction to the fact that she -

MR. KIRBY: I - I'm just not going to get into casting judgments on the names that the president-elect is putting forward for various jobs. That is for him and his team to speak to.

The - but what I can tell you: President Biden and this entire administration - and that includes me, personally - have great respect for Voice of America and the work that they do here and around the world. We value and we respect that they have an editorial independence, which I think is absolutely vital for them to be able to do their job credibly.

If you're going to have the name "Voice of America" on your bumper sticker, then, you know, you can expect that certain people around the world may look askance at that. But the fact that they are editorially independent and do good, solid reporting on their own, I think, says - speaks volumes about how valuable they are to making sure that the proper news and context and information gets to audiences around the world.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

MR. KIRBY: I'm very proud of them.

Q Hi. Thanks, Karine. Thanks, John. At the top of your remarks, you talked about the administration's commitment to an independent and sovereign Syria. And, of course, Israel has sent its forces into the buffer zone adjacent to the Golan Heights and apparently beyond it. The presence of foreign troops would seem inconsistent with an independent and sovereign Syria. So, will the administration pressure its ally to withdraw those troops?

MR. KIRBY: We are in discussions with the Israelis, as you might expect us to be, about their operations there inside that buffer zone and staying in close touch, as Jake did today, with better understanding what their goals and objectives are.

I would tell you - or I would point you to what they have said, which is this is a temporary measure to deal with exigent circumstances and what - what we - and we recognize what they recognize, that there are some legitimate threats that they're trying to -

Q Have they given any indication what they mean by "temporary," given that they've been, you know, in occupation of the Golan Heights -

MR. KIRBY: I think I'd point you to -

Q - since 1967?

MR. KIRBY: - the Israelis to speak to their military operations.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Jacqui.

Q Thanks, Karine. John, on the drones, does the U.S. government have any of its own imagery or video of these systems?

MR. KIRBY: I'm not aware that we have U.S.-government-produced imagery ourselves. But as I said in my opening statement, we have certainly done federal analysis of the existing imagery.

Q Like from people's cell phones that we're seeing? Basically, with what you're looking at, how can you credibly tell people that there is no public safety threat, there's no national security threat, that there's no reason to believe that a foreign government is involved?

MR. KIRBY: Because the analysis thus far, in an investigation that is ongoing, has not revealed any national security or malicious intent or criminal activity.

But, Jacqui, I would remind you, we're at the beginning here, not the end. There's a lot more work to be done, and we're working closely with the state and local authorities to gain more information.

Q It's taking them a while.

MR. KIRBY: I - I would argue that it's - we're - we're moving pretty well here with a sense of energy to try to figure out what we can do to learn more about this. We're at - we're still in the middle of an ongoing investigation, and I'm up here explaining to you and to let you know what we know so far, what we believe so far.

If information comes to light that changes that characterization, then, my goodness, you know, we'll be the first ones to let you know. But right now, there's just no indication that this is some sort of foreign malign activity or, in fact, even criminal.

Q Well, what I don't understand is - you know, this has been happening since late November. I don't know that the law enforcement officials or residents in New York and New Jersey, or even the Democratic senators who wrote to Director Wray, Mayorkas, and the FAA administrator today would think that this has been handled with a sense of urgency.

But, you know, that being said, has -

MR. KIRBY: I -

Q - has the president or the secretary of Defense issued any guidance to NORTHCOM or military installations to act on these systems if they are deemed to be a threat in any way? And what's the benchmark for that determination?

MR. KIRBY: So, two thoughts. First of all, you - you're right, late November. It is now - what? - the 12th of December. So, I think it shows that we're moving on with this and we're going to stay on it. So, this - don't - I want to disabuse you of any notion that we're not taking this seriously, because we are.

I can also tell you that if the president, as commander-in-chief, believed - based on the information that he'd been given - that there was a national security threat at play here or even a public safety threat at play here, he would issue the appropriate directives to - to not only law enforcement but perhaps even the military if that was needed.

I want to go back to something I said at the top: There has been no evidence of any of this activity in or near restricted spaces.

Q That's not what the senators said in the letter. They said, in fact, that they've been observed maneuvering near critical infrastructure, sensitive locations, including reservoirs and military installations, and cited a concern from law enforcement about public safety threats because a medevac helicopter was prevented from transporting a seriously injured patient for care because of the presence of these drones.

MR. KIRBY: I stand by my opening statement.

Q Can you make that make more sense? Because I think people in New York and New Jersey see drones the size of an SUV over their house every night and think that that doesn't make any sense.

MR. KIRBY: Certainly I understand why people would be looking at this and being concerned about it. I - we're concerned about it too, which is why we have the Department of Homeland Security and the FBI, my goodness, looking at this, and we're taking it seriously.

And we - we understand that people are concerned. We understand that they got questions. We got questions too, and we're working hard to get the answers to that.

What I can tell you, as we sit here today, you know, at 2:16 in the afternoon on the 12th is we haven't seen any indication thus far that there's a public safety risk, and we haven't seen -

Q But does anyone in the government know what they are?

MR. KIRBY: We are still investigating this. I can't tell -

Q So, no.

MR. KIRBY: - you definitively - I cannot characterize for you definitively what these sightings are. I can just go back to what I said at the opening: We've looked at the imagery. We can't corroborate some of the reported sightings through our own expert analysis using sophisticated detection techniques. But that doesn't mean that, you know, we're putting our pen down here this afternoon and calling it a day. We're going to keep at this.

Q What are you doing though?

MR. KIRBY: We - we are continuing to investigate it, as I said in my opening statement. Two federal agencies, as well as United States Coast Guard, and state and local law enforcement officials, which we are staying in close touch with.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Picking up on drones. Has it reached a level or is there a level determined by which the president or the administration, more directly, would prohibit any use of the airspace - since it is regulated - for drones for a period of time to try to figure out who they are and to remove this anxiety that people in the northeast are feeling?

MR. KIRBY: I don't know that we're at a stage right now where we - where we're considering that sort of a policy option, but I can tell you that we're going to keep an open mind here. And I think we're going to - whatever policy options we determine are appropriate will be informed by the investigation.

And thus far in this early stage of the investigation, there's just no national security threat that we see and no public safety risk.

So, again, you - you want to be careful that you don't -

that you - you don't jump to conclusions and you don't jump to policy options that may not be appropriate at this particular stage. But we'll - we'll obviously see where it goes and we'll be informed by investigators.

Q One other topic. With Jake in Israel and issues related to Ukraine and Russia, the Middle East, and so forth, with 40 days to go, do you feel that the Biden foreign policy team is in a - cooperate with a very vocal president-elect who is talking about these issues to - to achieve the aims that you have? Or do you view it as this is really your negotiation to have, whether it's in Israel, whether it's with Ukraine? Is it coordination, competition? How would you describe -

MR. KIRBY: I would say consultation. We are keeping the incoming Trump team fully aware and read in of not only what we're doing but what we're thinking about doing so that - that they - there's nothing they should see in the public domain - nothing I'm saying here, nothing Jake said in Israel - that would surprise them, that we're keeping them fully informed.

Q And has the president or members of this administration asked the president-elect to pull back from public statements or phone calls or anything that might impinge on what you're trying to do?

MR. KIRBY: Not that I'm aware of.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead. Final question. Go ahead.

Q What do you make of reports that were out today that Austin Tice was seen alive at a prison in Damascus in 2022?

MR. KIRBY: I think I've answered this before. I just don't have - I - I've seen that press reporting. I - I don't have any information to verify that reporting, and I certainly don't have anything today that gives us a sense of his whereabouts right now.

Q I'm asking, though, because the Israelis bombed that facility over the weekend. And so, I'm wondering if there are any conversations with the Israelis about, you know, maybe avoiding targets where Austin Tice or other prisoners might be held?

MR. KIRBY: We're - we're - as I said earlier, it's a full-court press to get more information about Austin, and we are actively in touch with interlocutors and counterparts throughout the region, and that includes Israel.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Thank you so much.

MR. KIRBY: Thank you, Karine.

Q Thank you, John.

Q Thanks, John.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Before we continue, I was asked by one of my colleagues to - to flag Rodney's sweater. (Laughter.) The amazing Christmas gear you got going on, sir, and the tie and all of it. It looks good.

Q Thank you. Thank you so much.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: And I hear that you - this is a normal thing during the season.

Q Yeah.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. All right. (Laughter.)

That's why he's - this is why he's behind the camera. (Laughs.) He's like - he's like -

Q Aw -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, I meant that nicely!

Q No, no. She's right. (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I meant that really nicely. He's like, "Please don't talk to me." (Laughs.) That's what I meant. I meant "Don't talk to me."

Q (Inaudible.) (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I appreciate you, Rodney. Thank you for what you do.

Q Thank you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. With that - jeez. Tough crowd.

Colleen.

Q Thank you. So, let's see. On the pardons.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yes.

Q I wondered if - you know, there's been a couple categorical pardons - or categorical, I guess, grants of clemency by the president. So, I wondered if we could expect more of those sort of categorical pardons, in particular related to the death penalty, which, you know, the president had said during the campaign trail in 2020 he wanted to get rid of. And, you know, I know it's paused, but it isn't gone. And there's, I think, 40 people on federal death row. The president-elect, you know, has made no secret of his - his desire to continue the death penalty.

So, you know, wondering about that and any other possible categorical ones.

Sorry to interrupt you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. So, I will say that during the president's remaining weeks - and he said this in his statement overnight, and I said it at the top as well - that we're going to continue to - he's going to continue to talk to his team to review any steps that he's going to be taking.

He wants to take additional steps, obvi- - obviously, to - to provide meaningful second chances. This is what this is all about when you look at the - what - the actions that the president not just took today but over, certainly, the last four years.

And so, they're going to continue to review clemency petitions, he and his team, in normal course. And certainly, further - they want to further the criminal justice reforms in a manner that advances equity and justice; promotes public safety; supports rehab and re-entry, which is all the things that I said at the top; and provides, again, meaningful second chances.

So, when we have more to share, we certainly will update all of you. But I think if you look at what the president has done over the past four years, as I just - just laid out, granting - in addition to what he talked - what we announced today - granting 21 pardons, 122 commutations, he has certainly done more in - than his last four predecessors at this point in their first term.

And so, the president takes this very, very seriously and is going to review all options and, especially, as you stated, clemency petitions as we, you know, close out these final - final few weeks.

Q On pardons still.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sure.

Q We had a poll yesterday that just about 2 in 10 Americans approved of President Biden's decision to pardon his son. In particular, they were troubled by the fact that he'd gone back on his word. So, I wondered what the president's message is to those Americans.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, I'd just go back to his statement that he put out 12 days ago, I think, now - that Sunday. And I think that last paragraph where he talks really, truly directly to the American people about this decision that he's made, obviously, as president, as a father.

But I would say more broadly, you know, legal experts - you've heard me say this - you've heard from legal experts, specifically an analyst, former U.S. a- - U.S. attorneys from across the country, who have said - and they have all agreed no one would be criminally prosecuted with felony offenses with these facts - the underlying facts that we have - certainly, have gone back and forth on.

And I have quoted many times, and I'll do this again, the former attorney general, Eric Holder, who said, "No U.S. attorney would have charged this case given the underlying facts. Had his name been Joe Smith, the resolution would have been fundamentally and, more fairly, a declination. Pardon warranted."

And so, I think the actions that the president took today, the actions that he's taken over the last four years when it comes to clemency, I think, shows the president's commitment when it comes to reforming - trying to reform the criminal justice system and his - obviously, his commitment to that but, also, giving people a second chance.

And so, you know, I think that - as it relates to the American people, I think that - I understand that you had this poll, and I get that, but I hope that they will understand the decision that he made and - and, you know - and what he's going to continue to do in these closing weeks as president.

Q Do you think he should apologize based on what the polling found?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I think is - I think the president hopes that the American people hear him out. Again, going to that last part of his statement - and I feel that I should continue to reiterate that the American f- - American people out there should take a look at the president's own words, his statement, how much he wrestled with that decision, and how circumstances did indeed change for him and his view.

And I quoted many times what Congressman Clyburn said when he spoke to the president two weeks prior - how the president was indeed reticent in making this decision.

And when he saw that Republicans weren't going to let up, when he s- - you know, we talked about the recently announced Trump appointees for law enforcement who have said themselves that they were going to seek retribution, and there was no reason to not take them by their word. The sentencing was coming up.

All of these pieces certainly led to circumstancing - circumstances changing, and so he made a very difficult decision. And I just hope that in time - in due time, the American people will - will see why he made this decision to move forward.

In the meantime, I think this announcement - the statement from the president, this announcement today that we're making: 15- - nearly 1,500 people getting this - their commutation - I think it's important. I think it's important about second chances, giving people second chances.

And - and so, that's what the president certainly is going to continue to focus on.

Go ahead.

Q Thanks. Different than commuting a sentence, though, or pardoning someone who has been convicted of a crime, there was conversation at one point about the idea of preemptive pardons for somebody who hasn't been convicted yet but who might be a target of the incoming Trump administration. Is that still on the table?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I'm not going to get ahead of the president. As I said, we'll have more - the president will have more to announce over the upcoming - upcoming weeks as we are - close out our time here.

I'm not going to get into the president's thinking. He's going to have conversations with his team. He's going to review clemency petitions. He's going to review options on the table.

And so, I'm - that's where I'm going to leave it.

And I think, you know, 1,500 individuals, as you all know, who are - who were placed on home confinement during the COVID-19 pandemic and who have successfully reintegrated into their families and communities - and also pardoning 39 individuals -is - is a big deal.

I think it's important to those individuals and their families and their communities. As I've said, they've rein- - -integrated into - into those really important pieces of their lives, and I think that's really important - and just building on what the president has done over the past four years.

And I think that's - I think those - today, I think it's a good day for many of those folks who deserve that second chance and who have proven - proven to - to be able to take that on.

Q Absolutely.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q Some of the names that have been floated around preemptive pardons, though - since it would just be such an unusual, extraordinary step - we've talked about - in the news, we've seen Liz Cheney, Dr. Fauci, Mark Milley -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: You're talking about the preemptive pardoning?

Q Right. I understand you don't want to get ahead of the president's thinking, but are any of those names wrong? Still - can you tell -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I'm just -

Q I mean, do you want to tell us anything about -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - it would be a bad move on my - on my - on my behalf if I preempted the president or previewed anything that the president was thinking about, considering. And so, this is a - this is something that he's going to talk with his team about. And - and I just don't have anything beyond that for you.

Again, I think today is a very important day, as we talk about the criminal justice system, as we talk about giving people who have shown that they can reintegrate into their community, back into their families, a second chance. I think that's a big deal, and I think that shows the president's commitment to this.

And, you know, the president talks a lot about what this country has to offer and possibilities, and you see that in every - every action that the president certainly has taken when it comes to this issue and so many other policies that he's put forward.

Go ahead.

Q So, Karine -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - I keep asking you this question. I'm going to ask it one more time.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q You have been working on an Islamophobia - or an - a strategy to counter Islamophobia that would partner with the strategy that you've already released to countering antisemitism. We've been waiting for it for a long time.

Do you have any further updates on when that could be released? Do you anticipate it coming before the end of the year?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would say: Stay tuned. This is obviously something that we're very committed to when it comes to protecting communities across this country.

You saw that in our antisemitism strategy, and obviously we've been talking about this Islamophobia strategy as well - or talking about coming up with a way forward in protecting communities. Certainly, that's the President's commitment.

I don't have anything to share right now at this moment, at the - at this podium, behind this lectern. But I would say: Stay tuned.

Q Given - given the former president's ban on entry from - for people from Muslim-majority countries - also known as the Muslim ban - at the beginning of his term -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Which - which we - you know, which we repealed and dealt with that very early on.

Q No, I understand.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q But there were - you know, there were many, many people on no-fly lists. And there still are some people on no-fly lists.

You know, do you - is there any preemptive action that the administration can take to guard against that kind of, you know, mass move again this time?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, you know where the president stands on this in this administration.

I don't have any policy announcement to share with you at this time. And so, I'll just leave it there.

Q All right. And then, just on the pardons and clemency acts. You know, numerous groups have sort of asked the administration to go even further, to be even more bold in terms of saying that there's something like 9,000 addition- - additional petitioners, some of whom are chronically ill, some who are aging, some have very young children.

Can you - I know that you are still reviewing these things, but can you say something about the scale? I mean, is this the sort of the - you know, is this the big move that we're going to see and then we'll see sort of individual pardons coming forward? Or will there - you know, do you anticipate that there could be another larger-scale move?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I'm not going to get into the strategy. I'm not going to get into numbers. I'm not going to get into what the president is currently thinking through. Not something that I'm going to do from here.

But I don't want people to forget - and I said this at the top, and I just want to reiterate - we're talking about Americans who - receiving relief who are decorated military veterans, a nurse who has led response for a number of natural disasters, and an addiction counselor who volunteers his time to help young people. And that's just naming a few.

And so, that is important to note, because these are the folks that we're talking about, who are, again, reintegrating back into their communities in a way that's effective, in a way that's incredibly important, giving them second chances.

And let's not forget all of the other ways that the president has been able to give second chances to Americans over the past almost four years when he has made these types of important decisions. So, I'm not going to preview. I'm not going to get ahead of this president. It would not be wise for me to do so, because he has to make those final - that final decisions, and he has to review what's in front of him with his team.

Q And I just want to - one more real quick.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sure. Sure.

Q There's anniversary coming up on Saturday for the Sandy Hook shooting, and I know that this is something that's very near and dear to the president.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah, obviously. Yeah.

Q Is he planning any kind of action or - or statement?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, don't have anything for you. As you know, we think - during his presidency and, I think, over the past couple of years, even before his presidency, he's spoken to this day - this tragic, tragic day.

And you're right, this is - when it comes to Sandy Hook and any devastating, horrific events like we saw on that day and - you know, the president has always speak - spoken out to it. This is a president that understands loss, understands what that means to a family, understands what that means to a community. And Sandy Hook was one of those moments that tore us apart.

If - I think if you think about that moment and, I think, if you are just a human and you remember that day, it is a heartbreaking, heartbreaking moment. And obviously our hearts go out to the families and certainly their loved ones who are still dealing with - every year, dealing - dealing with a difficult moment, a difficult anniversary. And so, I know the president thinks about them almost every day.

And I don't have anything to - to read out to you on how we're going to be acknowledging that day, but I'm sure you'll be continuing to hear from this president.

Go ahead.

Q Thank you. You talk about the clemency actions as historic - the "big deal," as you called them earlier - and a real relief that is being brought to human individuals by the actions the president has taken. So, in terms of sequencing, how did he come to the decision to pardon his son before these individuals?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I think we've gone back and forth on - on how he made that decision. The president obviously - as I - as I said, the president put a statement out 12 days ago, made that decision over that weekend.

It was a decision that he wrestled with. I think we've talked about the - the politics around this, the decision that he made. He put out a pretty comprehensive statement. I've mentioned Congressman Clyburn's - his own words, saying that the president, even two weeks before he had made that decision, was reticent in doing so. And he wrestled this, and I - as I have said many times: For him, there were consequences that changed his decision. I just laid that out moments ago.

Q But this action pending -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. Yeah.

Q - for thousands of individuals -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - why not bring the relief to them before -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I mean -

Q - announcing the pardon on his son?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: - and I was about to get to your question. This is - what you see today, that was far from this being his first - right? - I think we can't forget that - his first pardon or act of clemency.

He has issued more - more - we cannot forget this - more sentence commutations at this point in his presidency than any other recent predecessors at this - at the same point of their first term. And so - and I talked about what he was able to do in April when he issued historic categorical pardons as well to address marijuana possession convictions and military convictions in the LGBTQ+ community. These are actions that this president has taken.

And, again, today is historic, but he has been taking these types of actions for some time now. This is far from the first pardon that the president has taken.

We've gone back and forth. I've laid out what the president is thinking. He has talked about it directly in a statement in his own voice to all of you about 12 days ago.

And so, I don't have anything beyond that, but we can't look at today as being only the first action that he's taken. He's taken many actions to try and deal with giving an opportunity to people who have shown that they deserve a second chance, giving them an opportunity to have that second chance.

Q Anita Dunn, who was for a very long time the senior-most communications aide here at the White House, has been very critical of the president's decision to pardon his son. She called it extraordinarily bad timing. She said it was clear that the White House was "not part of this process." And she called the president's rationale "an attack on the judicial system."

She goes, "The argument is one that I think many observers are concerned about. A president who ran to restore the rule of law, who has upheld the rule of law, who has really defended the rule of law kind of saying, 'Well, maybe not right now.'"

How would you respond to that?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I will respond in this way. She also agreed that Hunter Biden, and I quote, "absolutely" deserved a pardon. Those - "deserved a pardon" is her own words. So, she supported that action and -

Look, I don't want to take away the record that the president has made on providing the most individual commutations in a single - in a single day, and I think that matters. And he'll certainly have more news to share in this - in this area - in the clemency space, obviously, in the near future. And we'll have more to share and certainly more to speak to.

Q Was she right that the White House was boxed out of the process -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I -

Q - in reaching that decision?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I can say is that I would obviously continue to refer you to the president's statement 12 days ago. He laid out his thought process, I think, in a very comprehensive way. We've go- - we've gone back and forth here about how the circums- - circumstances had changed, but I - let's not forget that she also said that Hunter Biden "absolutely" deserved a pardon, and I think that matters as well.

Q Thank you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead.

Q Thanks, Karine. What was President Biden's reaction to FBI director Christopher Wray's decision to step down?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I will say is that the president ap- - certainly appreciates the service of Christopher Wray, the FBI director, and - and all that he has done to - in his role. I don't have anything more to say beyond that. Certainly, he wishes the FBI director well.

Q Was the president disappointed that Wray is not going to be serving his full -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have any -

Q - 10-year term?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have anything else to share besides the service that the FBI director has been able to provide, and he respects his service. And I don't - don't have anything beyond that.

Q Has President Biden spoken to FBI Director Wray since the director made that announcement, or was the White House given a heads-up about the decision?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I would say that I don't have anything to share of a conversation between the FBI director and the president since this decision was - was made, but the president is grateful - is grateful for the director's service to our country. And I just don't have anything else beyond that to share.

Go ahead, Kelly O.

Q Can you - given the breadth of the pardons, can you describe a little bit about the president's process? Did he read into the individual cases? Did he accept a list from those who were working on this on his behalf? How much did he personally dive into particular stories? And did he decline on any of the ones brought to him for this time? Or was it sort of a big package presented to the president?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I'm not going to go into step by step of this process.

What I can say is this is a president who certainly takes this very seriously, understands the importance of when an individual is able to show that they can reconnect with their community, reconnect with their family, be - be part of a community in a way that I just laid out - when you think about military veteran, when you think about a nurse that's been very helpful in disaster response - he takes that all into account. He wants to make sure that - that there are specific criterias that are made, if you will.

In this case, y- - the Bureau of Prisons, obviously, was very involved in the - in wh- - in looking at - when I say "very involved," when they made the decision on - on the home confinement of these folks. And so, obviously, that is a big part of it too.

And, look, they've all des- - demonstrated good behavior, have shown that incarceration and at-home confinement has been successful in their rehabilitation. And those are all important criterias to look at.

But this is something, obviously, his team reviews. It's presented to the president. He makes this decision on how to move forward.

I'm not going to get into the nitty-gritty, but these are important facts that I just laid out to, certainly, look at when you think about getting - again, getting back into the community and showing - showing that, you know, it is - it is meaningful to get that second chance because what these individuals have been able to do.

Go ahead, Annie.

Q Thanks, Karine. On the pardons today, can you say whether the president has signed all the paperwork and it's completely finalized with his signature on it?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. Well, my assumption is that we - this is ready to go, since we made the announcement and that we've announced it, obviously, overnight. And so, this is ready to go, and we're moving forward. We wouldn't have made this announcement if we weren't. And so, that's what I could speak to.

This is something that the president has decided on, and we're taking, certainly, the steps to make this happen.

Q (Inaudible) be able to say sort of precisely when he signed it? Or maybe (inaudible.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I don't have specifics on signature - when - when it was signed, how the process even works.

I know that we just made announcement, obviously, overnight on - on this, really - you know, this granted clemency of nearly 1,500 people. I think that's a big deal. Thirty-nine individuals are - were, certainly, pardoned, were - who were convicted of nonviolent crimes. And I think this is important to - to just not forget.

But I don't have the specifics of the process or how it works. But, obviously, it's out there, and we're moving forward with it.

Q And then one other thing. You had been asked several times about whether Hunter Biden would receive a pardon and responded to that question.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q In that vein, can you tell me whether the president is considering a pardon for his son [brother] James Biden?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, what I can speak to is the p- - the president made that decision - right? - about Hunter Biden. He put it in - in his own words. I don't have anything to share beyond that. What I can say is: Not that I'm aware of, but I just don't have anything else beyond that.

And the president, certainly, is going to - as it - more broadly speaking, as we move forward to the next couple of weeks, he obviously is going to review with his team about other clemency decisions, and they're taking additional steps. And so, that's what I can speak to at this time.

Go ahead, Zolan.

Q Thank you. During the past clemency actions you were talking about, it seemed like most of the time the recipients were nonviolent, you know, drug offenders - low-level drug crimes. There were a couple recipients here, though - I mean, a judge who participated in a scheme that sent juveniles to for-profit jails; Medicare fraud; you know, real estate fraud.

I guess what I'm wondering is, was the crime that was committed also part of the criteria here? Or was it the mere fact where, if you were somebody on home confinement - despite the crime you committed, but just the fact that you were on home confinement - you received a commutation?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, they're two different things, right? There is the 1,500 folks who - who were placed on home confinement during COVID -

Q The examples I listed are part of the 1,500.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, th- - okay.

Q Yeah.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I didn't know, because I - because those are commutation, right? So, I didn't know. So -

Q S- - those are commutations, right.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. So, you were saying "pardoned," so I just wanted to make sure of that.

Q Yeah. To clarify -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Yes.

Q - those examples I listed are -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Are the fif- -

Q - part of the 1,500 that received commutations.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Okay. Because, as you know, there were 39 people who were - who were pardoned. So, two different things, so I just want to make sure we were on the same page.

So, this is definitely related to the home confinement from COVID. Let's not forget, there was the CARE[S] Act of 2020, right? This is all connected, certainly, to that. And that's - those are the individuals who were - again, who had home confinement and they successfully reintegrated into their families, into their communities. And that's the group of people - that category, if you will - that we were looking at.

Q But - but -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q Like, if they - just the fact that they were on home confinement, they received a commutation here?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, no, no. Because -

Q Was there - did you factor -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: There was -

Q - in any - like, in the process, do you also factor in the individual cases and the individual crimes that were committed?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, I think what's important is that they were successfully able to reintegrate into their communities and back into their families, right? They showed that having a second chance is something that they should be given, right? And so, that is what's important.

That - let's not forget that - the successfully reintegrating. And I think that's a huge factor. That matters as well. The home confinement, obviously, those - that's the category that they - that they were in during that CARE[S] Act of 2020. They were - they - as you know, there was a decision because of COVID-19 pandemic to move forward, back in 2020, before the president was, obviously, in office.

And these folks, this 1,500 that we're talking about - the nearly 1,500, were able to successfully reintegrate. And I think that's a criteria that we can't forget. And that's a criteria that's incredibly important here as the president made his decision.

Q And to follow up on -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - I think, Kelly's question. Just, I know you don't want to go step by step in the process -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - but c- - can we say accurately that the president reviewed, looked at any of these applications?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I can say is this president made this decision. This is the president that made the decision to move forward on this.

Q What was his involvement, though? Did they present him the applications and he said yes, or -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, obviously the president was presented from his team the - th- - granting the clemency - right? - of these approximately 1,500 Americans and also the 39 that he pardoned. He was presented that by his team, and he made the decision.

This is a - this would not have happened - we cannot forget: This would not have happened if the president didn't sign off on it, if the president didn't decide to move forward.

And we can't forget what the president has done. We're talking about the - let's not forget the past. Yes, we're talking about today, but we can't forget the president has also done 122 commutations, 21 pardons before this. We can't forget that the president issued - issued categorical pardons for LGBTQ+ service members convicted because of their sexual orientation or identity - gender identity and individuals charged with simply possession of marijuana. This is - and he just did that back in April.

So, the president has certainly taken action to show the importance of giving Americans second chances, and this is a continuation. This is not just a one-day thing. This is a continuation of the person - of the president taking clemency and giving people second chances very, very seriously and understanding how much that means to families and, certainly, communities.

Go ahead.

Q Yeah. Has the president called any of the people he granted pardons to? Do you have anything to read out on that front?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No. It's a good question. I don't have

anything to read out on the president calling any - any of the 15- nearly 1,500 people or 39 folks that he was able to - to pardon today. I just don't have anything to share.

Q And is he planning a farewell address at some point? Is there something in the works? Do you know where it might be, when it might be?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I don't - we'll certainly have more to share what the next - the last couple of weeks, last couple of days of the president's administration will look like, if he's going to be giving any big speeches or giving any important remarks as he - as he ends his presidency.

I don't have anything right now in this moment, but I would say stay tuned. We'll have a lot more to share as to what January post-holiday will look like.

Go ahead. I know - go ahead. I know I was supposed to call on you and I didn't.

Q Thank you. Back to Austin Tice -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay.

Q - with apologies.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No. No apologies. (Laughter.) That's an important - no, no. It's important. No apologies.

Q So, I believe it was last Friday when the family of Austin Tice said that they had spoken to officials here at the White House.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. They met with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan at the end of last week, yes.

Q And then they had a statement at the National Press Club, where they said that they had been told from a reliable source - we assume Sullivan - that - that Austin was alive and that he was being treated well.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q So, now we don't know any of that. So, what - how did that - where did they get that information?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I'm going to let the family speak for themselves. I can't e- - can't even imagine what they're going through. I don't want to imagine what they're going through. I know this has been a difficult time for them.

But what I can say is, when it comes to Austin Tice, this is a top priority for this president. He said that himself. And there is no indication that he is not alive, but there's also no indication about his location or condition.

And so, what our goal is is to bring him home. And so, we hope, certainly, that he is alive.

And - and as we have stated many times before, we are talking through the - through - through this with the Turks, and we want to do everything that we can to bring him home. It is a top priority for this president and this administration, and that's how we're going to continue to move forward on this.

All right, everybody.

Q Will there be further -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh, go ahead.

Q Will there be further meetings between now and the end of this administration?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Well, as you know, this administration, including the national security advisor, Jake Sullivan, has met with many family members of - of Americans who are wrongfully detained, held hostage. That is something - and also the president has done this as well. The national security advisor, as I just mentioned, just met with Austin Tice's family just this past week - this past week.

And so, we're c- - we're going to continue to certainly stay engaged and in touch.

I don't have any meetings to preview for you at this time, but we've been pretty con- - pretty consistent in staying in touch with these families.

Again, I - our hearts go out to them. Our hearts go out to them as they are dealing with an incredibly, incredibly difficult time.

All right. Thanks, everybody.

Q Thank you.

P.M. EST

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