After U.S. President Joe Biden finished delivering the State of the Union address, he met with some politicians in his administration in the hall and exchanged conversations without realizing that the microphone was still on, allowing the media to hear sensitive discussions. Biden announced on Friday that Benjamin Netanyahu must allow more aid to enter Gaza, after being heard over an open microphone saying he would have an honest discussion with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about the war in the region.
In response to a journalist's question about whether Netanyahu should make greater efforts to allow humanitarian aid into Gaza, Biden replied, "Yes, he should." The Democratic president appeared in a video published by U.S. media speaking to a senator on Thursday evening, following his State of the Union speech, and said unaware of the open microphone, "He needs to understand," referring to Netanyahu.
BIDEN: "I told him, Bibi — don't repeat this — you and I are going to have a come to Jesus meeting." HANDLER: Sir, you're on a hot mic pic.twitter.com/slevQZPDap— RNC Research (@RNCResearch) March 8, 2024
Immediately after the speech, Biden stood with Senator Bennett, who informed him of his recent visit to Israel, and asked the president to continue pressing for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip. Biden replied, "I told Bibi (a nickname for Netanyahu) and don’t repeat this (urging the senator to keep the conversation confidential), and I said, 'You and I are going to have a meeting (come to Jesus meeting)'," referring to a term in American English used to indicate the seriousness of a meeting.
The United States is the primary supporter of Israel, but the Biden administration has recently voiced its sharpest criticisms of the Jewish state since the onset of the war in Gaza, including calling on Netanyahu's government to take steps to increase assistance to the Gaza Strip, which the United Nations says is at risk of famine.
