The President is then expected to travel to Storrs, Connecticut, for the dedication ceremony of the Dodd Center, named after Nuremberg prosecutor and former US Sen. Thomas Dodd and his son, former US Sen. Chris Dodd — Biden’s longtime friend and peer in the Senate.
Biden will see every member of the Connecticut congressional delegation during the trip, Connecticut Gov. Ned Lamont and US Sens. Richard Blumenthal and Chris Murphy, according to the White House.
Ahead of his departure to Connecticut, Biden again refrained from speaking with reporters. A senior administration official indicated that the President’s mum behavior is to avoid saying something that could jeopardize negotiations with Congress to secure a deal for his legislative priorities.
While it’s ultimately up to the President if he wants to take questions, the senior administration official says there is a reason behind Biden’s silence.
“He doesn’t want to add to the conversation,” the official told CNN regarding negotiations over the fate of his domestic agenda. “He doesn’t want to shift anything” by commenting publicly.
Jean-Pierre also would not answer whether Biden would sign a bill that did not include a part of his child care components.
The President, who often interacts with the press corps, also didn’t take questions following remarks on the global supply chain while in the Oval Office with the Kenyan President on Thursday or as he addressed the disappointing jobs report last week.
White House officials have started signaling that they are ready to see movement on the reconciliation package soon, though CNN has reported that a deal on the party’s sweeping economic package “is far from secured.”
“I’m just not going to give you a lay-down of every call,” White House press secretary Jen Psaki told reporters Thursday, noting both Biden and senior staff have been in touch with the lawmakers.
CNN’s Jasmine Wright contributed to this report.