Biden Faces First Solo News Conference

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Joe Biden faced a test Thursday that he had avoided so far this year: a solo news conference with questions from the press.

The president has given a series of interviews and delivered formal remarks in recent months, but he has not taken questions from reporters in a formal setting since shortly before he took office in January.

Biden’s first solo news conference comes at a time when his approval ratings have been declining and he is facing increasing pressure from Republicans to address issues such as rising inflation and the chaotic withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan.

It remains to be seen how Biden will handle the questions from reporters. His predecessor, Donald Trump, frequently clashed with the press, while Biden has promised to be more transparent and accessible.

The news conference is scheduled to begin at 1:30 p.m. ET.