(WASHINGTON) — In an interview with ABC News Friday, Vice President Kamala Harris reacted for the first time to President Joe Biden’s hot mic comment in which he’s heard saying he and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will soon have a “come to Jesus” conversation about the war in Gaza.
“He meant what he said,” Harris told ABC News Chief White House Correspondent Mary Bruce. “Some of us grew up in communities where when a ‘come to Jesus talk’ is about having a serious talk, based on candor.”
After delivering his high-stakes State of the Union address on Thursday, Biden was caught on a hot mic chatting with Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado. Bennet told Biden he needed to “keep pushing” to get humanitarian aid into Gaza, to which Biden responded: “I told Bibi, don’t repeat this, you and I are going to have a ‘come to Jesus’ meeting.”
“I’m on a hot mic here. Good. That was good,” Biden then says after being warned by an aide.
“Do you think he’s gonna be receptive to that conversation?” Bruce pressed Harris, referring to Netanyahu, with whom Biden has grown increasingly frustrated because of Israel’s military campaign — and the growing civilian death toll — in Gaza.
“I have been a part of over a dozen conversations that the president has had with Bibi Netanyahu, and I can tell you without disclosing anything confidential, the president has been very candid, and dare I say, unfiltered, in terms of having a serious conversation about his concerns,” Harris replied.
“But also, as he has been clear, our readiness to stand with Israel’s right to defend itself, but how it does so matters, and far too many Palestinians have been killed,” the vice president continued. “And the bottom line is we all want this conflict to end as soon as possible and how it does matters. We’ve got to get aid in and, and really, we’ve got to get this hostage deal done.”
In a sign of Biden’s growing impatience, the president announced during his address that he would authorize an emergency military mission to construct a pier off Gaza’s coast to get additional much-needed humanitarian aid into the region.
“Tonight, I’m directing the U.S. military to lead an emergency mission, to establish a temporary pier in the Mediterranean on the coast of Gaza, that can receive large shipments carrying food, water, medicine, and temporary shelter,” Biden said Thursday, maintaining that, “No U.S. boots will be on the ground.”
“A temporary pier will enable a massive increase in the amount of humanitarian assistance getting into Gaza every day. And Israel must do its part. Israel must allow more aid into Gaza and ensure humanitarian workers are not caught in the crossfire,” the president continued.
“To the leadership of Israel, I say this: Humanitarian assistance cannot be a secondary consideration or a bargaining chip,” Biden later added. “Protecting and saving innocent lives has to be priority.”
ABC News’ Justin Gomez contributed to this report.
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