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ABC News

Biden says 'no time to waste' on COVID relief bill

PHOTO: President Joe Biden speaks on the economy in the Roosevelt Room of the White House, Feb. 27, 2021.
2:48
Pablo Martinez Monsivais/AP
Biden visits Texas following cold weather disaster
By Michelle Stoddart, Lauren King, Kate Pastor, Marlene Lenthang
Last Updated: February 28, 2021, 8:28 PM

This is Day 40 of the administration of President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris.

Latest headlines:

  • Fauci: Need to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible
  • Biden praises House for passing American Rescue Plan, tells Senate there’s “no time to waste”
  • House passes $1.9 trillion COVID-19 relief package in party-line vote
  • Biden offers unifying words on Texas, pandemic
Here is how the day is unfolding. All times Eastern.

Feb 28, 2021 8:28 PM

Christie: A lot of Trump's policies are things Republicans support

Ahead of former President Donald Trump's address at the Conservative Political Action Conference in Orlando, Florida, Sunday afternoon, ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos asked former New Jersey Governor and ABC News contributor Chris Christie about statements made by Republican leaders in recent weeks.

"Three weeks ago, you had Mitch McConnell saying the president bears responsibility for the siege.  Kevin McCarthy says the same thing.  Kevin McCarthy's at CPAC saying this is Trump's Republican Party.  Mitch McConnell says he'd vote for him in 2024," Stephanopoulos said.

"The bottom line is this, George.  You know, Donald Trump is not a departing two-term president like George W. Bush was and as a result, he's got an opportunity to come back again if he wants to.  And there are going to be some in the party who want him and there are going to be some in the party who don't," Christie said. "But what is consistent is many of the policies that were pursued over the last four years -- take aside the personality; take aside the tweets -- a lot of those policies are things that Republicans support."

On former Pres. Donald Trump's role in the GOP, @ChrisChristie says "many of the policies that were pursued over the last four years, take aside the personality, take aside the tweets, a lot of those policies are things that Republicans support." https://t.co/jisiSjY4KY pic.twitter.com/31meWxoUVZ

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 28, 2021

Feb 28, 2021 2:50 PM

Fauci: Need to get as many people vaccinated as quickly as possible

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized use of a third COVID-19 vaccine in the U.S., declaring the Johnson & Johnson vaccine safe and effective in adults 18 and older.

ABC News Chief Anchor George Stephanopoulos asked Dr. Anthony Fauci about hesitancy from people over its reported efficacy compared to others.

"What do you say to those who want to wait for Moderna and Pfizr?" Stephanopoulos asked.

MORE: FDA authorizes Johnson & Johnson vaccine, giving US 3rd option to fight COVID-19 virus

"We have to get away from that line of thought," Fauci responded. "We have three highly efficacious vaccines. Safe and efficacious."

NEW: After the FDA authorized use of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, @gstephanopoulos asks Dr. Anthony Fauci about hesitancy from people over its reported efficacy compared to others: "We have three highly efficacious vaccines... that's the bottom line." https://t.co/GNnteaYoeZ pic.twitter.com/VV40UTibGJ

— This Week (@ThisWeekABC) February 28, 2021

"If I went into a clinic and said we have JJ now, I would take the one that is available to me now," Fauci continued.


Feb 27, 2021 11:41 PM

Biden sends letter on Syria airstrike to leaders of House, Senate

The White House released a letter Saturday from President Biden to the speaker of the House and president pro tempore of the Senate on the airstrike in eastern Syria, in his effort to keep Congress "fully informed, consistent with the War Powers Act."

 

MORE: US carries out airstrike against Iranian-backed militia in Syria

"I directed this military action consistent with my responsibility to protect United States citizens both at home and abroad and in furtherance of United States national security and foreign policy interests, pursuant to my constitutional authority to conduct United States foreign relations and as Commander in Chief and Chief Executive. The United States took this action pursuant to the United States' inherent right of self-defense as reflected in Article 51 of the United Nations Charter," Biden wrote in the letter.

This comes following some bipartisan criticism the White House received over the decision to carry out the airstrike in Syria.

-ABC News' Molly Nagle



Feb 27, 2021 9:28 PM

Biden teases announcement on US actions with Saudi Arabia after Khashoggi report

As Biden departed the White House to board Marine One Saturday afternoon, he was asked if he planned to punish Saudi Arabia’s crown prince following a U.S. intelligence report that concluded he ordered the killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi. 

Biden carefully teased an announcement but said it wouldn’t specifically pertain to Khashoggi’s murder. 

He said, “there will be an announcement on Monday as to what we’re going to be doing with Saudi Arabia in general.”

PHOTO: President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Feb. 27, 2021.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images
President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden board Air Force One before departing from Andrews Air Force Base in Maryland, Feb. 27, 2021.
Mandel Ngan/AFP via Getty Images

The president then left the White House for Delaware. 

On Friday the Office of Director of National Intelligence released a highly anticipated report on the death of Khashoggi, a Washington Post columnist and Saudi dissident who was murdered and dismembered at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul in Oct. 2018.

It revealed the U.S. intelligence community found Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Muhammad bin Salman approved an operation to capture or kill him. 

MORE: Saudi crown prince 'approved' Khashoggi murder operation: US intel report

The Saudi government has denied that that the crown prince was involved and instead blamed the death on a rogue team of government agents. 

The killing has roiled the United States' longstanding ties with Saudi Arabia.

Biden said he spoke to King Salman on Thursday, one day before the report was released.


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