11:01 am ET, May 2, 2024
Today’s remarks are the first time Biden has spoken in detail about the college protests
From CNN’s Kevin Lipduck
President Joe Biden hasn’t said much about the unrest that has gripped certain college campuses over the past few weeks.
He told reporters at an April 22 Earth Day event that he condemns anti-Semitism but condemns “people who don’t understand what’s happening to the Palestinians.”
This comment was his last public comment on the matter. The president is expected to deliver comments Thursday from the White House about the campus protests.
Since that initial comment, Biden has dodged questions about the protests, drawing criticism from Republicans. Instead, the administration’s position on the unrest has been communicated through spokesmen and written statements.
The White House on Wednesday sought to answer questions about Biden’s relative silence.
“No president, no president, has spoken more strongly about fighting anti-Semitism than this president,” press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre told reporters when asked why the country had not heard directly from Biden about the protests.
