White House Refuses to Apologize for Calling Japan ‘Xenophobic’

White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre on Thursday refused to apologize to Japan after President Joe Biden, 81, called the U.S. ally “xenophobic.”

While delivering live remarks at a campaign fundraiser in Washington, Biden said the United States’s economy was strong due in part “because we welcome immigrants.”

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“Think about it,” Biden said referencing why their economies allegedly struggle. “Why is China stalling so bad economically? Why is Japan having trouble? Why is Russia?”

“Because they’re xenophobic,” he said. “They don’t want immigrants.”

Japan is a longtime ally of the U.S. as a counterweight to China’s growing aggression in the Asia-Pacific. Biden recently worked to build trust with Japan. In April, he hosted Prime Minister Fumio Kishida for a summit and state dinner.

Jean-Pierre refused to apologize for Biden’s comment when asked during Thursday’s gaggle with the White House press pool.

“The president last night described Japan as ‘xenophobic’ along with China and Russia. Was that intentional? a reporter asked Jean-Pierre. “Does the president want to apologize to Japan?”

“The broader case that he was trying to make,” Jean-Pierre replied, “which I think most — most leaders and allies across the globe understand, is he’s — he was trying — he was saying that when it comes to — when it comes to — when it comes to who we are as a nation, we are a nation of — of immigrants. That is in our DNA.”

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