Biden grabs Cinco de Mayo lunch after confusing ‘major press conference’ with MSNBC interview
WASHINGTON — President Biden avoided questions from reporters Friday by falsely announcing a “major press conference” — before ducking out to grab lunch at a local taqueria ahead of a one-on-one interview with MSNBC.
The 80-year-old president raised eyebrows two days after congressional Republicans disclosed a bombshell bribery claim against him when he cut off questions by saying he’d answer them later.
“We’ve got a lot of work to do and I’m doing a major press conference this afternoon,” Biden told reporters at a White House meeting with cabinet secretaries.
“So I love you all, but I’d like to ask you to leave so we can get down to business.”
Biden’s staff later told the press corps the president misspoke, possibly thinking of an interview with MSNBC “11th Hour” host Stephanie Ruhle that is set to air at 10 p.m. Friday — when many would-be viewers will be out marking Cinco de Mayo with a tequila or Mexican beer.
As reporters continued to shout questions, Biden added: “I’ll be happy to talk to you about that, but not now … we’ll get a chance to talk about all of those things, I promise you.”
The president instead spurned the press and took his motorcade out for lunch with Vice President Kamala Harris at Taqueria Habanero in Northeast Washington.
His press staff said Biden ordered a chicken quesadilla and churros, plus an assortment of tacos for aides.
Confirming Biden’s confusion, his press aides declared a “lid” for pool reporters at 2:21 p.m., meaning there would be no additional live events to cover.
The aborted presser would have been Biden’s first solo White House news conference since November — and taken place 48 hours after congressional Republicans subpoenaed an FBI informant file said to contain an allegation that Biden accepted bribes while he was Barack Obama’s vice president.
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer (R-Ky.) issued a subpoena requiring the FBI to turn over the document on May 10.
Biden has not taken questions about the allegation since it was levied.
On Thursday, he held no public events and a White House spokesman referred questions to the Department of Justice, telling The Post: “I have nothing for you on that.”
