Washington:
Hours after President Joe Biden called India, Japan and other nations “xenophobic”, the White House clarified the president’s intentions, emphasizing his “respect” for allies and partners.
White House press secretary Karine Jean Pierre said the president’s comments were part of a broader message that emphasized the strength derived from America’s immigrant heritage.
“Our allies and partners know very well how much this President respects them… He was making a broad comment talking about this country (USA), talking about how important it is to be a country of immigrants and how that makes our strongest country.”
The press secretary stressed that Biden’s focus continues to be on strengthening diplomatic relations with countries such as India and Japan, which is evident in his actions over the last three years.
“Obviously, we have a strong relationship between India and Japan, and the President, if we just look at the last three years, has certainly focused on those diplomatic relations,” he added.
“The broader point he was trying to make,” Jean Pierre continued, “is that most leaders and allies around the world understand that when it comes to who we are as a nation, we are a nation of immigrants.”
Emphasizing the importance of America’s immigrant identity, she reiterated Biden’s belief that diversity strengthens the nation. “This is in our DNA. You heard the president say this, it makes us better and we are stronger for it and that is a very important point to know,” said Jean Pierre.
The comments were made at a fundraiser in Washington, D.C., which marked the start of Asian American, Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, which celebrates diversity in the United States. “One of the reasons our economy is growing is because of you and many others. Why? Because we welcome immigrants,” Biden said, according to a joint report and transcript sent by the White House.
“Why is China so stagnant economically? Why is Japan having problems? Why is Russia? Why is India? Because they are xenophobic. They don’t want immigrants,” he continued. “Immigrants are what make us stronger. It’s no joke. This is no exaggeration, because we have an influx of workers who want to be here and just want to contribute,” he added.
White House national security communications adviser John Kirby also defended the president’s comments, telling reporters that allies and partners like India and Japan understood that Biden “completely and utterly values the idea of alliances and partnerships.”
Immigration is a polarizing issue in US politics and will almost certainly play a major role in November’s presidential election. Illegal border crossings have contributed to an average influx of 2 million people per year since 2021, the highest level ever.
Polls show widespread public disapproval of President Biden’s handling of the surge, and former President Donald Trump, who also faced criticism for his immigration policies, is running for office on promises to crack down and deport millions of people .
(Except the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
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