National Security Council meeting called for Sunday, as White House in statement again says Russia “could launch an attack against Ukraine at any time.”
POTUS was briefed today on the @VP’s meetings here in Munich with Ukraine, EU, NATO, Baltic states, Germany, Greece.
When a POTUS convenes an NSC meeting, it usually includes VP; secretaries of State, Treas, Defense, Energy, DHS; AG; WH counsel; chief of staff. Can include top military, intel officials.
Such a mtg can be to help a president make a decision in advance of significant operations.
VP Harris will participate in this NSC meeting today on Ukraine, she tells us.
VP Kamala Harris is wheels up for US, flight will be about 10 hours. She will attend Biden’s NSC meeting this afternoon remotely, from AF2.
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Biden says the situation with Russia/Ukraine is a rapidly escalating crisis. He says US has reason to believe the Russian forces are planning to attack Ukraine in the coming week, in the coming days. He called some members of Congress today to fill them in.
"As of this moment, I'm convinced he's made the decision. We have reason to believe that," Biden says of Putin. The Russian president has decided to invade Ukraine, @POTUS says at the White House.
"We have a significant intelligence capabilities," Biden says, expressing confidence in the U.S. intel that Putin has decided to invade Ukraine in the coming days.
In Paris, @VP Harris says politics would be better if the attitude were more like the world of science, where ideas are tested, then refined as glitches pop up, and “no one gets beat up about it.”
The @VP again used the "thee" pronunciation for the word "the" when making a point. Some critics have claimed she appeared to adopt "a fake French accent" when she said "the plan" during a tour of a research lab on Tuesday. Today at Paris press conference, she said "the topic."
FWIW, as a reporter in the room for both sets of remarks by the VP, I heard zero French accent in her words.
Breaking: The Supreme Court Commission draft discussion materials are out. "It is an assessment. It is not a recommendation," @presssec said earlier.
NEWS: "We do not believe there is a formal legal obstacle to expansion of the Supreme Court," draft assessment by Presidential Commission on the Supreme Court. "Whether expansion of the Supreme Court ought to be pursued as a prudential matter presents a more difficult question."
Commission discusses pros and cons of Supreme Court expansion—justices could be more diverse by gender, race, religion, sexual orientation, etc, and larger court might be able to decide more cases. "But the risks of court expansion are considerable…” whitehouse.gov/pcscotus/publi…
Both cheers (from Dem side) and boos (from GOP side) as @POTUS introduced at Nationals ballpark at Congressional ballgame.
In the outfield, the GOP congressional players tossed baseballs around as Biden signed balls in the Democratic dugout.
Biden is hanging out in the Democratic dugout for a bit during Congressional baseball game then plans to head to the Republican dugout. He came prepared to hand out ice cream bars to ballplayers from both teams, I’m told.
BIDEN en route to Dover as remains of troops killed in Kabul bombing arrive—Darin Hoover, Johanny Rosariopichardo, Nicole Gee, Hunter Lopez, Daegan Page, Humberto Sanchez, David Espinoza, Jared Schmitz, Rylee McCollum, Dylan Merola, Kareem Nikoui, Maxton Soviak and Ryan Knauss.
Traveling to Dover for dignified transfer of US troops killed in ISIS bombing at Kabul airport are @POTUS and @FLOTUS and several White House aides. President will meet with families.
This is the 1st time that Biden is at Dover Air Force Base as president for a dignified transfer, when flag-draped cases containing the remains of troops arrive in US and are carried off a military plane. He attended at least one as VP.
President Biden is in the White House Situation Room, I'm told, getting updates on the situation in Afghanistan, including the explosion near the Kabul airport that has caused many casualties.
Taliban says at least 13 dead in Kabul explosion; Russian foreign ministry says at least 2 people killed and 15 wounded. @PentagonPresSec says "an unknown number of casualties" from blast near airport's Abbey Gate.
Multiple videos have now emerged of people killed in the explosions in Afghanistan, including one posted by @karimi_shafi. Very graphic and disturbing, indicating many are dead outside Kabul airport.