Press Briefing by Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas

James S. Brady Press Briefing Room

1:12 P.M. EDT

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Good afternoon, everyone.

Q Good afternoon.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, before I turn it - turn to the latest - to the latest on the hurricane, I wanted to briefly mention at the top that - at the top regarding the passing of Ethel Kennedy.

I expect you will have something from the president very, very soon. They were dear friends. And I don't want to get ahead of him in his statement, but the president and first lady are sending their love to her entire family and everyone whose life was touched by her strength and service.

Now shifting gears to the storm. This morning, the president and the vice president were briefed on the impacts from Hurricane Milton and will continue to be briefed throughout the day.

We are praying for those who lost their lives and all the communities devastated by this storm. The president and vice president will do everything in our power to help - to help - to help with the respond, the recovery, and rebuild.

Last night, in advance of Hurricane Milton making landfall, the president spoke by phone with several officials in Florida, including Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer, Sarasota Mayor Liz Alpert, and Representative Gus Bilirakis and Kathy Castor.

This morning, President Biden also spoke to Governor DeSantis about the impacts of Hurricane Milton. The governor thanked the president for the extensive federal support to prepare for and respond to the storm.

This afternoon, the president spoke with several additional Florida officials following the impacts of Hurricane Milton across the Florida Peninsula, including Senator Rick Scott, Representative Anna Paulina Luna, Gainesville Mayor Harvey Ward, Fort Myers Mayor Kevin Anderson, Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings, and Pasco County Chair Ron Oakley.

The president told each of these leaders to call him directly if they need additional assistance on rescue, response, and recovery efforts. The president also emphasized that he will be with them and their communities no matter how long it takes.

Additionally, FEMA Administrator Criswell has been on the ground in Florida since last night, and today she is survi- - surveying the damage alongside her state and local counterparts and will work closely with them to determine any unmet needs.

At the direction of the president, FEMA and the federal family began to quickly deploy resources to assist with rescue and response operations, including over 1,200 urban search and rescue personnel and the three U.S. Coast Guard Swift Water Rescue teams, with rescues already underway - over 1,000 federal personnel, all focused on helping the people of Florida respond and recover. And over 15 million meals and 13 million liters of water are already in the region, with 20 million meals and 40 million liters of water ready to be deployed.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has two temporary power teams and a roofing team to diagnose the need for short-term repairs to homes and structures.

The Department of Defense has also provided 60 high-water vehicles and personnel who can further aid in search and rescue efforts.

To the people of Florida, this is still a very serious situation. Please remain vigilant. Listen to local officials. As the president has said, we will be here for you as long as it takes.

Now, as you all know, this is an ongoing response and we are getting information in real time.

We are very grateful that we have the secretary, Secretary of Homeland Security Mayorkas, here, who is on the ground - here virtually, obviously - who is on the ground in North Carolina surveying the damage and helping with response to Hurricane Helene.

Regarding Hurricane Milton - Milton, we won't have all of the answers right now, but we want to provide as much information as we can.

And so, with that, I will turn it over to the Homeland secretary and - Homeland Security secretary.

Thank you so much, again, for joining us, sir. The floor is yours.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: (Via teleconference.) Thank you, Karine, and good afternoon.

Can everybody hear me?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. Yes, we can hear you fine. Thank you.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Thank you. So, I am currently joining you from North Carolina, where I've been meeting with our extraordinary FEMA personnel and federal, state, and local partners on the ground about Hurricane Helene's devastating impact and the progress we are making in our work to help North Carolina communities and aid in their recovery.

Before I share an update on the situation here in North Carolina, I'll provide you an update on Hurricane Milton, which, last night, made landfall as a Category 3 storm near Siesta Key, Florida, following a day of heavy rain and at least 27 tornado touchdowns. Our hearts break for the Floridians who have lost so much.

I was briefed earlier by FEMA Administrator Criswell, who is on the ground in Florida, as Karine noted, along with more than 1,000 FEMA personnel.

There is significant water and wind damage across Central Florida. As of this morning, over 3 million customers are without power. Structures have been severely damaged or collapsed. And tragically, we know that lives have been lost. We are praying for them and their loved ones.

Right now, search and rescue is our highest priority, and we are also praying for those who are unaccounted for and for their safe return.

It is very significant that many followed local guidance and evacuated ahead of landfall. We cannot minimize the impact of that.

It is imperative that everyone continues to follow the direction of local officials. Milton may have passed, but the danger it poses has not. Downed power lines, flood waters, non-potable drinking water, and debris are creating deadly conditions.

Keep listening to local officials and shelter in place until it is safe if told to do so.

Only use generators when and where it is safe to do so.

You can find - people can find more tips on staying safe after a storm on the FEMA app or by visiting Ready.gov.

In the lead-up to Milton, our administration made robust preparations for the storm. President Biden approved emergency declarations for the state of Florida and for the Seminole Tribe of Florida days before this storm made landfall to provide full federal support for the response.

We've pre-positioned supplies, including food and water, 20 helicopters, 60 Department of Defense high-water vehicles with ladders, 1,300 U.S. Coast Guard personnel, and 1,400 Urban Search and Rescue team members across Florida in anticipation of the storm, and staged hundreds of ambulances to assist in the transport of hospitalized patients.

Today, FEMA is joining the state to begin damage assessments to ensure Floridians have what they need. FEMA and our federal partners, including the Department of Defense and the United States Coast Guard, are already working closely to - to support the state of Florida in a comprehensive, coordinated response to the storm.

To reiterate President Biden's message yesterday, every available resource is being deployed as fast as possible to impacted communities, and we will not leave until the work is done.

The same is true for communities devastated by Hurricane Helene, including here in North Carolina. President Biden and Vice President Harris were here last week, as was I, and we will continue to support impacted communities and first responders on the ground. More than 10,000 federal staff are on the ground supporting Helene and Milton response efforts across the Southeast.

Since Helene first made landfall, Urban Search and Rescue teams have rescued over 4,300 people. From a peak of 5.1 million customers without power, we have helped restore power for more than 5 million of them, and we are restoring more every day.

We have helped quickly restore cell phone service across the region. At its peak, 3.4 million customers were without service. I - we have restored service now to more than 3.2 million of them.

We have delivered more than 17.2 million meals and more than 13.9 million liters of water. We have helped get over $350 million in assistance out to Helene survivors, with millions more going out every day. All this and much more.

These first responders and their state and local partners are doing truly heroic work in extremely difficult circumstances. We are all immensely grateful for their extraordinary, selfless service.

The weeks since Hurricane Helene first made landfall have been devastating and difficult, but I want to be clear: We have the capability and the capacity to respond to and recover from multiple simultaneous disasters. No resources needed for Hurricane Helene response will be diverted to respond to Hurricane Milton.

We have made it clear we will be there for every impacted community every step of the way.

Thank you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thank you, Mr. Secretary. We'll go to questions.

Okay. Go ahead, Kayla. (Laughs.)

Q Thank you so much. Mr. Secretary, this is Kayla Tausche from CNN. President Biden indicated that FEMA and the Department of Defense would have enough money to get through their immediate needs in this recovery phase. I'm wondering, after your early assessments of the damage from Hurricane Milton, now coupled with the damage from Hurricane Helene, do you still believe that to be the case?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Yes, I do. We have the resources to respond to the immediate needs of individuals impacted by Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton and the associated - and it's very important to remember - the tornadoes associated with the hurricane. That being said, we will need additional funds, and we implore Congress, when it returns, to, in fact, fund FEMA as is needed.

Q If I could, just a quick follow-up. You said on CNN yesterday that some of the misinformation that had been perpetuated around these storms was already beginning to have an impact on individuals either applying or deciding - deciding not to apply for government relief. Can you elaborate on what exactly you're seeing and what exactly you determined to be the cause of that?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: So, let me - let me repeat that, in fact, the false information that is being spread deliberately does have a real-life impact on survivors, and it is also demoralizing for those heroic individuals who are risking their lives in the service of others.

Let me give you one example. There is false information that federal employees, who are there to help people, will actually take their land. And what we have seen is people reticent, reluctant to access the relief to which they are entitled and which will help them, because of the fear that that false information has instilled in them.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Mary.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: That is just one example.

Q Thank you, Mr. Secretary. Mary Bruce with ABC. Another question on misinformation. You know, we've seen reports that some FEMA officials, including the administrator, are being doxed and targeted online in the wake of these hurricanes. Are you concerned that individuals involved in the recovery effort, you know, are - are being threatened online?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: We most certainly are. We are seeing horrific hate speech of all types propagated on online platforms. That deplorable speech has an impact on people's lives, and it is also a motivating force for people to do harm. And it has got to stop, and it is our work in the Department of Homeland Security to combat hate in all its forms. We -

Q And do you -

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: - will continue that work.

Q Do you have any information to suggest that any foreign governments have tried to take advantage and amplify this misinformation about the response and recovery effort?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: I have not been alerted to that phenomenon. We, of course, have seen foreign nations disseminate false information for other purposes. I have not seen it in the context of Hurricane Helene or the Hurricane Milton, which just transpired, but of course, we are quite vigilant in monitoring that.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Nancy.

Q Thank you. Secretary Mayorkas, it's Nancy Cordes from CBS News. Sec- - Hurricane Milton knocked out power to more than 3 million customers. How does the scope of the power situation compare to other disasters? And what is the federal government's role in coordinating the restoration of that power? How long will it take?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: So, Nancy, a number of questions. Unclear how long it's going to take, because, quite frankly, the damage asses- - assessment is still underway. So, we're - we're at a very, very early stage.

Our role, generally, is to support the state and local officials, the state and local resources to augment those resources and to work very, very closely alongside them. And we are doing so both in response to Hurricane Helene and Hurricane Milton.

Loo- - you know, the - the response is actually in a number of phases. The immediate phase is search and rescue, life and safety of individuals. And then we - we go from search and rescue to response and then to recovery.

We work very closely with the state and local officials to rebuild whatever infrastructure has been damaged, to get power up. We have the capacity to assist. And we also work with the private sector.

We have the ability to deliver power immediately, but for the long term, very often, infrastructure has to be rebuilt.

My visit here in North Carolina underscored that fact, because one of the long-term challenges is going to be to rebuild the water system in a number of cities where it's been completely decimated.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Jacqui.

Q Thanks, Karine. Mr. Secretary, it's Jacqui Heinrich from Fox. I want to ask you about a different story.

This Afghan national who was working for the CIA in Afghanistan was arrested for planning an Election Day terror plot. He was brought to the U.S. after Afghanistan collapsed, your agency says, as part of the SIV program.

The State Department is telling us he was not part of the SIV program, which had strenuous vetting. They say he was never issued an SIV or immigrant visa, and DHS paroled him into the U.S. They further expect the court document to be updated to reflect this from the DOJ side.

So, Mr. Secretary, how was this man brought into the U.S.? What screening did he undergo? What did he apply for to get here?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Jacqui, I - I'm here in North Carolina communicating with the individuals who are still conducting search and rescue operations. Over 200 people have lost their lives in Hurricane Helene. We have reports that at least 10 individuals have lost their lives as a result of Hurricane Milton.

I'd be very pleased to answer your question in a different setting, but we're here to talk about emergencies and the support that we can deliver to people in desperate need. Thank you.

Q I appreciate that, Mr. Secretary, but we're getting conflicting answers from your agency and from the State Department about a man who was arrested for an Election Day terror plot. How do you not have those answers prepared?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Oh, Jacqui, that's not what I said. What I said is I'd be pleased to discuss this issue at a different time, but I am here to speak about disasters that have impacted people's lives in real time, and that is the subject that I am addressing today.

Q Can you assure people, though -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We're going to -

Q Mr. Secretary, can you assure people that appropriate steps have been taken to secure the country against these kinds of threats? Because the outstanding question is whether this man was radicalized before the U.S. government brought here - him here or afterward. And people should be concerned about that.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Jacqui - Jacqui - Jacqui, your persistence in questioning can be matched my - by my persistence in answers. (Laughter.)

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. We're going to go. Go ahead, Gabe.

Q Mr. Secretary, thank you. Gabe Gutierrez here with NBC. I want to go back to the funding question a little bit more specifically.

So, eight days into the fiscal year, the federal government has spent nearly half of the money that Congress has allocated for disaster relief for the next 12 months. How concerning is that?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: It is very concerning. But - but let me be clear: We can meet the immediate needs arising from Hurricane Helene, Hurricane Milton, and the tornadoes associated with it.

When Congress returns, we will need them to act swiftly to appropriately fund the Disaster Relief Fund upon which FEMA relies to deliver assistance to people after extreme weather events. And so, we can meet the immediate needs. We will need funding very rapidly.

Q What if there's another disaster next week?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: We - we have - we are working on a continuing resolution. That is not stable footing for the work that we do in disaster response, and so that is why I underscore the need for Congress to act swiftly upon its return.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Go ahead, Michael.

Q Thank you, Karine. Mr. Secretary, Michael Wilner with McClatchy. Just want to ask you specifically about the National Flood Insurance Program. Already this - the NFIP has been chronically in the red. How do you anticipate Milton will affect that program? And is there a specific ask of Congress?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Michael, I'll - I'll have to follow up with you on that. But I - you know, I've been in the Department of Homeland Security as the director of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services and the deputy secretary and now, of course, as the secretary, and I've always known the - the Flood Insurance Program to be in the red.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Go ahead.

Q Thank you. Mr. Secretary, this is Courtney Rozen from Bloomberg Government. I would like to ask about the upcoming election in the next couple of weeks. Are you thinking about that issue in terms of voters being able to access their polling places in states that are having such significant damage?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Courtney, we have seen state and local officials who are, of course, on point in ensuring access to voting. We have seen them make - take measures to ensure that people can, in fact, reach their polling places.

Some polling places have been damaged, for example, as a result of Hurricane Helene, but they are pivoting to make sure that there are other facilities available to them, and they'll have different places at which they can place their votes.

And this is something that the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency of our department - CISA, as it - as it is known by its acronym - works very closely with state and local officials to assist in that regard.

Q Can you give an example of one way that they are assisting in this time?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: So, what we do - what - there -

Q Can you give some examples of what that work looks like?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: There are three - there are three threat vectors. There's physical violence - there's the concern about physical violence. There is the concern about cyberattacks. And there's the concern about disinformation.

An example is that we are protecting - protective security advisers in each state that assist state and local officials in sharing best practices about how to secure the facilities, both from a physical perspective and a cybersecurity perspective. That would be one example.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay. Go ahead. We're going to start wrapping it up, but go ahead.

Q Thank you, Mr. Secretary. This is Skylar Woodhouse with Bloomberg News. As you mentioned earlier, you said that FEMA, you know, will need funds when - when Congress comes back. But if there is another disaster prior to Congress coming back to session and as you continue to work with Helene and Milton, is there - will FEMA have to perhaps stop offering services or sending out support for aid if you're running out of cash before Congress comes back?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: No, it - no, it will not. We - we have the funds to address immediate needs. If we have to devote the resources that we have to immediate needs, we will do so at the expense of perhaps other long-term recovery efforts. We need Congress to act swiftly upon its return, but we will meet immediate needs.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Jared, you have the last question.

Q Thank you. Mr. Secretary, as you talk about the need for Congress to come back and, obviously, replenish funds when they do that, I'm just curious: Moving forward, as you look forward to future appropriation battles, does Congress need to rethink how they are funding FEMA and disaster relief? In other words, is it, like, an underfunded service and program of the federal government, as is?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Let me - let me take a step back and widen the aperture of that question, if I may. The - the - a continuing resolution is not a stable way to fund the federal government. Needs change from year to year, and we need real budgets upon which we can rely and upon which we can predicate responsible financial planning and financial management. So, a continuing resolution only retains a level of instability in the work that we do, in terms of the assurance of the funding that we need.

We - the Disaster Relief Fund and the funding of it should be completely nonpartisan and apolitical. This is a fund that provides much-needed relief to individuals, regardless of party. And I have said publicly many a time since Hurricane Hele- - Helene first hit in late September, that when our brave individuals - and I say "our" meaning not just federal but federal, state, and local - reach into flooded waters to save an individual, they are not asking about that individual's party affiliation. They are rescuing a fellow human being, and we need to be funded accordingly.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Thank -

Q And if I -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Oh -

Q - just one quick one to follow up -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Okay.

Q - with the secretary. The - the -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Wait, hold on. Hold on. Go ahead, Will. I told him it was the last question.

So, Mr. Secretary, we have one more for you.

Go ahead, Will.

Q Sorry. Sorry. It's Will Weissert with AP. You mentioned at least 10 people killed in relation to Milton. Is that - were those tornado deaths? Can you give us a little bit more information about where that number came from?

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: So, let me - let me be clear. And this is something I want to echo that Karine mentioned at the very outset. This is a very fluid situation. We are just beginning damage assessment. So, when I - we have 10 confirmed fatalities. Our understanding is that those fatalities were caused by the tornadoes.

But - but I just want to introduce a little bit of tentativeness to that because of the fluidity of the situation and how nascent it - it is.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: It is our job to make sure that that number doesn't climb, through valiant search and rescue efforts, but we are dealing in the immediate aftermath of a terrible hurricane and many, many tornadoes ancillary to it.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: All right. Thank you so much, Mr. Secretary. Appreciate it. Appreciate everything that you're doing.

SECRETARY MAYORKAS: Thank - thank you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thank you.

All right. We don't have too much time because the president, as you all know, is speaking at 2 o'clock.

So, Will, what do you have for me?

Q Okay. I wanted to switch gears a little bit. Does the White House have a reaction to the U.N. Interim Force in Lebanon report that Israel has fired on their position in - in Lebanon, and there's been at least two peacekeepers that were injured? Does the president -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So - yeah.

Q - think that - that there should still be U.N. peacekeepers in the region?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, I want to be mindful. I heard about those reports coming in. I - I need to talk to the team and get to the ground truth of exactly what's happening. I just want to be super mindful, because I don't have all the information for me to respond to you at this time.

Once I have that, then we can certainly respond.

Q Can you comment more generally on - on peacekeepers in -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I - I mean, obviously, peacekeepers - we want them to be safe and protected, but I just don't have anything for you on that particular event that's happening on the ground. I just heard those reports, and I just want to make sure I have the full - full breadth of the information before I respond.

Go ahead, Danny.

Q Thanks, Karine. The readout of the president's call with Prime Minister Netanyahu yesterday said they'd be - remain in close touch. Just wondered if the president or the White House has heard anything more about Israel's plans for retaliation. And, secondly, when - and, secondly, do we know when they're expected to speak again?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, I don't have anything to preview on the next call. As you know - and I've said this many times before - since this past little bit mo- - now, over a year, the president and the prime minister have spoken over a dozen times. We talked a little bit in this room about the call yesterday - 30 minutes; it was direct; it was productive. There was a readout that we all put out.

And as I said yesterday and I'll continue to iterate here, this was a - as it relates to the - Iran's attack, they had a contin- - they continued the discussion that happened on the staff level, obviously, on the leaders level.

And I'm just going to be super mindful here. I'm not going to read out from here what Israel is going to do or not going to do. And, frankly, I'm certainly not going to read that out to the Iranians.

So, going to be - going to keep that diplomatic conversation as it should be. It is a private conversation, and we read out as much as we were able to just to give you a little bit of - of a sense of color of what happened on that call.

Q Can I ask if you do expect to hear from the Israelis after the Security Cabinet meeting?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have anything to - to share. What I can say, though, and we - and I - we've said this many times before: There is regular communication that is happening with the Israeli government, certainly on the staff level, on a daily - on a daily basis. And certainly, that will continue as - as we have done for the past more - more than a year now.

Go ahead, Kayla.

Q Thank you, Karine. Earlier this week, Hezbollah's deputy secretary general expressed a willingness to renew talks for a ceasefire. What is the U.S.'s response to that, and what does the White House believe the willingness of Israel is to begin those talks again?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Say that one more time - the beginning of that. Sorry.

Q The deputy secretary general of Hezbollah expressed support for a ceasefire deal.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, what I will say is, obviously, we do not have conversations here with Hezbollah or any of the Iran-backed groups. We don't speak to Iran. That is not how we - we communicate.

We will continue to have conversations with Israel about - about a way forward with Lebanon, about a way forward here. We believe a ceasefire is the way to go in order to create space to have diplomatic conversations - that's what we believe - and so that both sides can return back home to - to their respective borders.

And that's what we want to see. And those discussions continue.

Q And just to follow up. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has showed a willingness to disregard the preferences of President Biden and the U.S. team in how he has prosecuted the conflict in the Middle East. And I'm wondering if the White House is giving any new consideration to conditions being placed on aid delivered Israel.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No.

Go ahead.

Q I wanted to ask a question about the disinformation with the hurricanes. And has the White House been in touch with the leadership of social media networks where a lot of this disinformation is being spread?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, obviously, as we have stated, and you - the president was very, very clear yesterday about misinformation, disinformation and how dangerous it is, especially right now when we're - when he was speaking at the time - when we were dealing and trying to respond to disasters and preparing - at the time, when he was responding.

So, we have made - we have certainly been in touch with - with trusted online publishers, influencers, other trusted messengers to - to meet people where they are, and that's what we have been trying to do: be on those platforms, those traditional media outlets as well, to be very clear about making sure they have the accurate information.

And so, that is one of the reasons, earlier this week, the White House launched the Reddit - the first Reddit account to ensure that even more people can - we can meet more people where they are so we can make sure that we [they] have that accurate information.

So, that's what we're doing to make sure that we're on those platforms, pushing out what we - what is the accurate information so folks out there, people out there who are certainly impacted - now impacted by two hurricanes has the information that they need.

Q Are the platforms themselves doing enough to police the disinformation that's on there?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, they're private companies. So, I'm not going to tell them what to do, what not to do. I think everybody has a responsibility here to try to make sure that the information that they are providing - whether you are a leader, a national leader, a congressional leader, a former president - you have the - certainly, the duty to be accountable here and to make sure that you are sharing the right information, truthful information, not falsehoods that, you know, frankly, certainly put people in harm's way and makes it hard for these brave men and women - you heard the president talk about this yesterday - who are on the ground providing assistance. It puts them in harm's way as well.

Go ahead, Mary.

Q Thanks. To that end, Congresswoman Luna, who represents the Saint Petersburg area, said that she spoke with the president today about the response. She is one of those people who has been spreading disinformation, misinformation about FEMA assistance. Did that come up in the conversation? Did the president, you know, directly talk to her about that and

encourage her to stop it?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, the president was certainly focused on what's happening on the ground and making sure that the federal government is - is - any needs that are unmet are met, and that everybody who is on the ground, certainly local officials, elected officials who are trying to help their community has what they need.

And, look, the president was very clear. It is unacceptable. It is unacceptable for bad-faith actors - right? - to - to continue to push out misinformation. As I stated, it is dangerous. It does not - it gets in the way of providing the assistance that we need. We have heard - you all have reported on stories where people are not going for - asking for assistance because of the misinformation.

And so, the president was really clear. It is very, very clear.

And one of the - one of the issues that we have heard - or the lies or falsehoods that are out there is the $750. It is the beginning. It is something so that people are able to buy, you know, diapers, to buy milk, are able to buy necess- - ne- - necessities that they need in the moment at the time after dealing with such a horrible event. And the $750 is the beginning, and there is more to come.

But it's not helpful when people do that. So, the president is not going to shy away from that. He was very straightforward, very forceful about it twice yesterday when he spoke to the public. And so, we're going to keep - be very, very clear. It is unacceptable.

But the calls that the president made today was about making sure that Americans, people on the ground who had been affected by this hurricane - this most recent hurricane, Hurricane Milton - they have what they need on the ground.

Go ahead, Gabe.

Q Thanks, Karine. Following up on Jacqui's question from earlier on the Afghan terror suspect. NBC is reporting that he was a security guard for the CIA before he came to the U.S. and that he passed two rounds of vetting. Does the administration believe there was adequate vetting?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, what I can say is I cannot comment on this directly because - because it is an active investigation. As you know, that the Department of Justice is currently un- -moving forward with. So, I'm going to be really careful.

What I can say is every Afghan national who entered the U.S. was screened and vetted by intelligence, law enforcement, counterterrorism professionals, and with every new information that emerges that in- - individual that - if that individual could pose a threat to public safety, we take immediate action, and we take that action.

And so, going to be - not going to speak to this particular case, but I can speak more broadly, and that's the actions that we normally take. That's how we move forward.

And the president has always been clear, protecting the American people will always be - always be his top priority.

Q More broadly, what would you say to critics who say there isn't enough vetting in these cases?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: What I can say is how I just ended my last question to you. Protecting the American people is the president's top priority.

Go ahead, in the back.

Q Thank you, Karine. From what you and other officials have said, I gather that the U.S. has at least two stated goals in Lebanon. The first one, you said that you don't want it to turn into another Gaza -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - you're working towards cessation of hostilities, but you also support Israeli efforts in dismantling Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon. So, how can those two goals exist in the same time frame? Is the understanding to first allow Israel to push back against Hezbollah before going into negotiations?

AIDE: Karine -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Sorry.

(An aide shows Ms. Jean-Pierre a phone.)

Oh, gosh. Okay.

Q Karine -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We got to move s- -

Q Can you share those developments, Karine?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We have to move -

Q What's going on there?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: No, I'm - I'm just trying to make sure that we're out of here because the president is speaking at 2 o'clock. That's what they're - they're giving me updates on - on - we got to move pretty - pretty quickly.

On answering that question, Patsy, I'll say this: Look, I think two things - both - both things could be true and - at the same time. We believe that - and I said this moments ago - we want to see a cease- - a ceasefire deal - that's what we want to see - to provide some space for di- - diplomacy so that - that would enable civilians to go back home on both sides - right? - to go back home - both sides of the border.

And so, we're going to have those discussions. We'll - going to be able - hoping to be able to achieve that goal. And we - we believe, ultimately, a diplomatic resolution is the way to - to move forward here.

And to your point about Israel, we believe Israel has the right to defend itself. That's what we believe. We've said that.

And what we understand is the operation that they're moving forward with in Lebanon are indeed targeted. We're having those conversations. We're being very direct and having those doc- -conversations with the Israeli government. That will continue. And we have been very clear with this as well.

Q And -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We protect - we believe and support and - in - in - and certainly support Israel's so- - right to defend itself and certainly our - their - Israel's security continues to be ironglad [ironclad] - our support for them.

Q And - and just to pick up on your point that it's targeted. Have you - considering the fact that there are American citizens still in Lebanon -

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q - have you received any Israeli guarantees that they won't strike the airport in Beirut, as well as the road to the airport, which I understand goes through Hezbollah-controlled territory?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We continue to have very, very direct conversation with the Israeli government. That's what we're going to do.

But how - how the shape and scope and the nature of their operations, of their campaign moves forward, we are going to have, again, very direct conversations with them.

Q And then, finally, just quickly on Taiwan, Karine. In response to Taiwan National Day celebrations, China is feared to respond by either conducting war games or sending its assets to the region. Is the administration prepared on such an event, considering a lot of the military assets have been deployed to the Middle East?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, look, you're talking about the speech that the Taiwan president made?

Q Yes.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Look, that - it's - it is - it is tradition, as you know, for - on that day, a long-standing tradition for Taiwan's president to deliver remarks on 10/10. It - it is routine, domestic-focus address that has historically prompted little response from Beijing. This year should be no different.

We are not going to speculate on what the PRC will or will not do this year, but we see no just- - justification, certainly, for a routine annual celebration to be used as a pretext for military exercises.

We urge Beijing to act with restraint. Our One China policy has not changed, and we've been really consistent about that in the past three and a half years.

Go ahead, Michael.

Q Karine, just following up on my colleague's question about the - the president's call with some Florida officials and lawmakers.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah.

Q I know you mentioned that he had been clear yesterday with regard to disinformation around the hurricane response, but did it come up specifically in that call? Was there a conversation with Florida officials?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I don't have anything to share besides the president reaching out to elected officials, local and statewide, to offer up their assistance - his assistance, the federal government assistance to check in to see what else that they need. We are dealing with, obviously, the impact of a pretty powerful hurricane, Hurricane Milton, and so that is his - was his focus on the call today.

I think he's been very - I mean, he said it publicly, right? So, he's been very public about how he feels about misinformation. And as president, he felt that he needed to say something because it was harming - harming Americans out there who were impacted by - have been impacted, whether by Hurricane Helene, now impacted by Hurricane Milton, and they need to get the assistance. Right? They need to make sure that - we wanted to make sure they were pre-posi- - they were ready, whether evacuating, sheltered before - ahead of this hurricane. And when you have this type of misinformation, disinformation out there, it certainly steps on that.

And so, as president, he spoke very publicly twice - twice yesterday, and I think that message was sent loud and clear.

Go ahead.

Q Thanks, Karine. Since President Biden postponed his foreign trip due to - due to Hurricane Milton, has the president spoken with German Chancellor Scholz yet just about, you know, maybe rescheduling the trip, just kind of talking since there was a lot planned?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. So, I think we've stated that we're going to be rescheduling the trip. That's what we're - we're trying to work out all of the details. That's important to the president to do that.

Wh- - when I have more information, obviously, you all will be one of the first to know.

And the president is planning to speak to both of the leaders very, very soon. And so, once we have that information, we'll certainly share that with all of you as well.

I think I have to wrap it up here.

Q On the trip?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yep.

Q So, the - will the leader-level Ukraine Defense Contact Group be rescheduled, or will it happen in the coming weeks at the ministerial level?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: So, what I can say: On the leader level, I understand that that's going to be the - that conversation is going to be postponed. And so, that I can speak to.

Q Okay.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: That's going to definitely be postponed.

Okay. All right. All right. In the back. I haven't called on you in a while.

Q Oh, thank you.

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Yeah. Go ahead.

Q Just on the calls. Florida Senator Rick Scott said that President Biden agreed that Congress should come back early to fund FEMA. So, is there a more urgent need, and is the administration all in line with what we heard from the secretary, Mayorkas, talking about getting Congress to come back or not?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: I mean, look, what we have - what we have been very clear about is Congress needs to act. We had a CR. We had a pretty robust ask in the CR for - for - to make sure that we continued to fund that - that emergency disaster funding. Pardon me. And so, that didn't go through. It was not - we were disappointed that it didn't make it into the CR. And so, that is unfortunate.

But we've also been clear that Congress needs to act. And what we have seen in the past is what - Congress can still act on emergency items, move forward emergency asks in - during recess. That is something that they can do.

And so, we're going to continue to say that. We're going to continue to be very clear. We have to see this moving forward.

You saw the letter from the president earlier this week saying that there's SBA disaster funding that's about to run out in weeks - in weeks.

Q But is he going to call them to come back?

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: We believe that Congress can do the job, right? They can do this job. They can make sure that we get that additional funding during recess. We have seen them do this before. It is not unusual. It is something that they've been able to do when there has been an important decision to be made. And so, that's what we want to see.

All right. I know we got to go. The president is about to speak, so I don't want to hold you guys up.

Thanks, everybody.

Q Thank you.

1:56 P.M. EDT

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.