Trump and Biden: Democrat opposes key Cabinet pick as president apologises to G7 for predecessor
Follow for all the latest from the White House, Congress and Mar-a-Lago
Sign up for the daily Inside Washington email for exclusive US coverage and analysis sent to your inbox
Get our free Inside Washington email
Joe Biden said the world can't return to a Cold War with Russia and China and must seek ways to cooperate on global challenges like the Covid pandemic even as the two countries pose security risks to the western alliance.
Speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Biden reaffirmed his commitment to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization while apologizing to European leaders for the last four years under Donald Trump.
That apology came with the Biden administration returning the US to the Paris climate accord, another reversal of Trump-era policies of the past four years.
The focus on foreign policy came as the Biden administration continued to face domestic crises in its first weeks, including unprecedented winter weather that delayed 6 million doses of Covid vaccine.
While Biden toured the Pfizer vaccine manufacturing plant in Michigan, Republican senator Ted Cruz stayed out of the spotlight after coming under intense scrutiny for fleeing Texas for the warmer climes of Cancun.
Congress continued going through its motions, with Democrat Joe Manchin announcing his opposition to the nomination of Neera Tanden to lead the Office of Management & Budget, Neera Tanden.
The White House has refused to withdraw her nomination, hoping instead to convince Republicans to confirm her post.
Trump himself, meanwhile, “did things that were terrible” when contradicted on the coronavirus pandemic, Dr Anthony Fauci has said in an interview.
Fauci said Trump entirely lost interest in tackling Covid-19 as it became clear he had lost November’s presidential election.
Dr Fauci says Trump gave up fighting the pandemic once he lost the election
Dr Anthony Fauci, the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Disease and who advised the White House during the early days of the coronavirus pandemic, opened up about his contentious relationship with Donald Trump.
"When it became clear that in order to maintain my integrity and to get the right message [across] I had to publicly disagree with him, he did things - or allowed things to happen - that were terrible," Mr Fauci said. "Like he allowed Peter Navarro [Mr Trump's trade adviser] to write an editorial in USA Today saying that almost everything I've ever said was wrong."
Graig Graziosi reports.
Dr Fauci says Trump gave up fighting the pandemic once he lost the election
The doctor returned to public view after being sidelined by the former president
Joe Biden tours Pfizer plant in Michigan
The president will deliver remarks shortly.
Watch: Joe Biden speaks at Pfizer plant in Michigan
Follow live withThe Independent.
‘Life or death’: Joe Biden begins remarks at Pfizer plant
“This is a case of life or death, we’re talking about people’s lives,” Biden begins.
‘Can’t build a wall’ to keep a pandemic out, says Biden
“It’s not enough that we find cures for Americans, there needs to be a cures that the world needs is able to take part of because you can’t build a wall or a fence high enough to keep a pandemic out,” Biden says.
‘God love him’ Biden says of Trump’s Covid plan
“My predecessor, as my mother would say God love him, failed to order enough vaccines, failed to mobilize the effort to administer the shots, failed to set up vaccine centres,” Biden says.
‘Covid-9 vaccines’ are safe, says Biden
“Listed to Dr Fauci, Dr Fauci assured me that Covid-9 vaccines were safe,” Biden says.
“We all know there’s some history or some hesitancy about taking this vaccine.”
Biden prepared to make Covid relief package cheaper
“I’m grateful that the Senate and the House are moving quickly, and I’m prepared to hear their ideas on how to make the package better and make it cheaper, I’m open to that, but we have to make clear who is helped and who is hurt,” Biden says.
“My hope is that Republicans in Congress listen to their constituents.”
Return to normalcy by Christmas, maybe, says Biden
“I believe we’ll be approaching normalcy by the end of this year, God willing this Christmas will be different than last, but I can’t make that commitment to you,” he says.
“There are other strains of the virus, we don’t know what could happen in terms of production rates, things can change.”
‘Psychological damage’ being done to kids by keeping schools closed, says Biden
“I think it’s critically important to get our kids back to school, I think it’s really important because of the psychological damage being done,” Biden says.
“And the loss of time a kid loses a semester when they’re in fifth grade, it means they’re not just a semester behind they may be a year and a half behind.”
Subscribe to Independent Premium to bookmark this article
Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies