(WASHINGTON) — Flanked by two pint-sized “Secret Service agents,” President Joe Biden took to the South Lawn on Thursday afternoon to greet kids at the White House for “Take Your Child to Work Day” and answered various questions from children of the press and White House staff.
Kid “reporters” inquired about his favorite color and ice cream, what he had for breakfast (bacon, egg and cheese on a croissant) and his accomplishments during his administration, to name a few.
At one point, though, the president seemed to have some trouble answering what was the last country he visited — which was his beloved Ireland less than two weeks ago.
“I’m trying to think where the last place I was. It’s hard to keep track,” he said, noting he’s met with 89 heads of state so far.
A child shouted, “Ireland!” to remind him, to which Biden replied, “Yeah, you’re right, Ireland.”
Still, Biden appeared to enjoy the event, walking across the crowd to take questions from all sides.
Asked what it’s like being president, Biden said, “It’s probably the greatest honor anyone in America can have bestowed on them,” and said the best parts of the job are meeting different people and living in the White House.
About his favorite ice cream, Biden said he “may be among the dullest presidents of the world because I’m known for two things: My Ray-Ban sunglasses and chocolate chip ice cream.”
Asked who were his biggest inspirations, Biden said politically it was Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. but for personal inspiration, his parents.
He said his favorite movie of the year was “Top Gun: Maverick.”
Biden wasn’t the only one at the White House facing questions from a flurry of kids.
Press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre held a briefing for children of the White House press corps earlier in the day, where she took questions on a wide range of topics from artificial intelligence and climate change to some of Biden’s favorite things.
Matthew Anderson, son of ABC News White House Correspondent Karen Travers, asked Jean-Pierre what the U.S. is doing to support Ukraine in its war with Russia.
“For the past year, we have been one of the leading countries, the US, in sending Ukraine security assistance, whether it’s ammunition, whatever is needed for them to fight this war that they’re dealing with in Ukraine…Also economic assistance and humanitarian assistance,” she said. “What we’re seeing in Ukraine are the Ukrainian people really fighting very bravely. And so we are incredibly proud of them.”
Following up, Anderson pushed Jean-Pierre on how long Biden wants to continue supporting Ukraine like this.
“As long as it takes. But we don’t know, we don’t have a time on when the war is going to end. We always say the war can end today, easily, if Russia decides to move on out and stop the war that they started, this aggression that they started,” she said. “Seriously, Russia can end this today.”
Later on the South Lawn, Biden thanked all the children for skipping school to make the trip, offering a special thanks to the mini-Secret Service agents for leading him outside.
“Take Our Kids to Work Day” is sponsored by the Take Our Daughters And Sons to Work Foundation. This year marks the 30th anniversary of the annual event, held on the fourth Thursday in April, intended to encourage learning and help children explore what is possible in their futures.
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