President Biden tangled with a reporter Thursday after he appeared to say the U.S. could not guarantee its commitment to NATO, quickly correcting himself.
During a joint press conference with Finnish President Sauli Niinistö following the 2023 U.S.-Nordic Leaders’ Summit in Helsinki, Finland, Biden was asked about a failed Senate bill that would prevent future U.S. presidents from withdrawing from NATO without Senate approval. A reporter asked the president what actions he would take to assure Finland that the U.S. will remain a reliable partner for the coming decades.
“I absolutely guarantee it,” Biden initially replied. “There is no question there’s overwhelming support from the American people. There’s overwhelming support from the members of the Congress, both House and Senate, in both parties notwithstanding the fact that some extreme elements of one party,” he said, swiping at GOP lawmakers he’s dubbed “extreme MAGA Republicans” for their skepticism of U.S. aid to Ukraine.
He…