Biden Laughs Off Criticism of Fist Bump With Saudi Crown Prince: ‘God Love You, What a Silly Question’
President Joe Biden got into a testy exchange with reporters on Friday after he took questions in Saudi Arabia.
Biden made remarks in which he said he raised the issue of human rights in Saudi Arabia at the top of his meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and made “his view clear.” The meeting followed a Covid-19 altered greeting between Biden and the crown prince, which featured a fist bump instead of a traditional handshake to avoid spreading the virus, according to an official White House explanation.
“I said very straightforwardly for an American president to be silent on an issue of human rights is inconsistent with who we are and who I am,” Biden added. When asked what he told MBS regarding Khashoggi, Biden responded:
He basically said that he was not personally responsible for it. I indicated that I thought he was. He said he was not personally responsible for it and he took action against those who were responsible. And then I went on to talk more about how that, dealing with any opposition to the, or criticism of the Saudi administration in other countries was viewed as, to me, a violation of human rights.
“Do you regret calling the Saudis a pariah?” asked another reporter.
“I don’t regret anything that I said. Next question,” Biden shot back.
Reporters shouted more questions at Biden who responded, “I just answered your question. Do I regret it? I don’t regret anything that I said. What happened to Khashoggi was outrageous.”
“Mr. President, you’re coming under a lot of fire for your fist bump with the crown prince. I want to give you a chance to respond. How can you be sure that another murder like Jamal Khashoggi murder won’t happen again,” asked another reporter, which elicited a laugh from Biden.
“God love you. What a silly question. How can I be sure of anything? If anything like that occurs again, they’ll get that response and more,” Biden responded, adding:
You heard me say before when I criticize Xi Jinping for slave labor and what they’re doing in the western mountains of China. Said I had no right to criticize China. I said look, I’m President of the United States of America.
For the United States president to remain silent on a clear violation of human rights is totally inconsistent with what we are and what we believe. I’m not going to remain silent.
Can I predict anything will happen let alone here or any other part of the world? No. But I don’t know why you’re all so surprised the way I react. No one has ever wondered what I say.
Watch the full clip above via Fox News
