Biden Bristles At CNN Human Rights Question At Chaotic End of Global Press Conference

President Joe Biden bristled at the suggestion he put US strategic interests above human rights in an exchange with CNN White House correspondent Jeremy Diamond at the chaotic end of a global press conference.

The president held a press conference in Hanoi to cap off his trip to the G20 summit in New Delhi, India and his diplomatic meetings with General Secretary Nguyễn Phú Trọng in Vietnam.

Biden took questions from a list of pre-selected reporters, as is customary. But as the presser wrapped up, he continued to engage with the press. Things got confusing when White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre announced “This ends the press conference” and music started playing while the president began responding to Diamond.

Diamond’s question was not audible, but he explained the exchange minutes later to CNN anchor Brianna Keilar. But during the presser,  visibly perturbed Biden responded to Diamond by gruffly responding that he raised human rights with all of the leaders he spoke to and dismissing the suggestion tersely:

PRESS AIDE: Thank you, everybody.This ends press conference. Thanks, everyone.

(Tinkly Piano Music Plays)

JEREMY DIAMOND: (inaudible)

PRESIDENT JOE BIDEN: I don’t put anything above human rights and I’ve raised it with every person I’ve met with!

—

JEREMY DIAMOND: I got a question in to the president very briefly at the end. I asked him whether, as he is making these moves in the region, is he putting the US’s strategic interests above those of human rights? Vietnam in particular has a poor record as it relates to any political dissent. They the third largest jailer of journalists in the world. And the president said, I don’t put anything above human rights. And he said that he has raised issues of human rights with every leader he has met with, including today with the Vietnamese general secretary.

The official White House transcript noted the exchange this way:

THE PRESIDENT: But I tell you what, I don’t know about you, but I’m going to go to bed.

Q What did you talk about with Mr. Li? You said you spoke to the number two from China, who wa- — in India today?

THE PRESIDENT: Yeah, we ta- —

Q What did you talk about with him?

THE PRESIDENT: We talked about what we talked about at the conference overall. We talked about stability. We talked about making sure that the Third World — the — excuse me — “Third World” — the — the — the Southern Hemisphere had access to change, it had access —

We — it wasn’t confrontational at all. He came up to me. He said (inaudible) —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: Thank — thank you, everybody.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank —

MS. JEAN-PIERRE: This ends the cou- — press conference. Thanks, everyone.

THE PRESIDENT: Thank you. Thank you.

(Cross-talk.)

Q Mr. President, are you putting U.S. strategic interests above human rights here in Vietnam?

Q You have time for one more. We came all this way. We came all this way.

Q Are you putting U.S. strategic interests above human rights here in Vietnam?

THE PRESIDENT: (Inaudible) above human rights, and I’ve raised it with every person I met with.

Thank you.

Watch above via CNN.