White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre and NSC's John Kirby hold a briefing — 1/3/2024

In this video, the spokesperson provides updates on various topics, including the Middle East, the situation at the US southern border, and the national debt. Here are the key points:

Middle East:

• The US is focused on working with partners to help Israel defend itself and provide humanitarian assistance to Gaza.
• The US has a significant force presence in the Middle East, including an aircraft carrier strike group and an amphibious ready group with Marines.

Southern Border:

• The spokesperson blames House Republicans for obstructing progress on securing the border and dealing with the immigration system.
• The Biden Administration believes a bipartisan agreement is needed to address border security.

National Debt:

• The spokesperson claims that 90% of the increase in the national debt can be attributed to Republican tax cuts.
• The administration has taken steps to lower the deficit and believes that Republicans' proposed policies would add to the debt.

Impeachment Proceedings:

• The spokesperson dismisses the impeachment proceedings against Secretary Mayorkas as baseless and a waste of time.
• The president has confidence in Secretary Mayorkas.

Other:

• The spokesperson does not have information on the president's New Year's resolutions.
• The administration acknowledges the record-high number of migrant encounters at the border but maintains that migration patterns fluctuate every year.

Overall, the spokesperson defends the administration's actions and criticizes House Republicans for hindering progress on various issues.